Sandeep Mitra

The West Bengal government issues the Durga Puja 2020 guidelines which primarily stops from holding cultural programmes and carnivals. The guidelines, ensure social distancing among visitors during the festivities, starting from agomoni till immersion (Bisarjan).

This year, the Durga Puja festival is going to be a restrained and staggered affair in West Bengal. The West Bengal government has banned cultural programmes at puja pandals and has urged the organisers to postpone the festivities over additional days.

Let’s take a look at the guidelines for Durga Puja 2020:

Spacious open pandals: The puja pandals have to be spacious and should be open from all sides, with separate entry and exit points for visitors.

Masks and hand santisers: Aall visitors who visit the puja pandals, should wear masks at all times and use hand santisers.The organisers will have to distribute masks and santisers in the close vicinity of the pandal for people who might have come to puja without one.

Decongested rituals: Puja organisers have been asked to promote so that the people may attend in small groups. The priest will be provided with a microphone while reciting prayers /mantras so that the devotees can hear them while maintaining social distance. The devotees will have to bring their own offerings like flowers and sweets from home to avoid creating a crowd at stalls near the pandal.

No cultural programme: There will be no cultural programmes inside or near the puja pandals.

No carnival: The state carnival and fairs has been banned near the pandals.

Spacing out festivities over a larger number of days: The Bengal government has recommended that puja organisers can extend the festivities to more number of days, therefore, people can come to visit in small groups and maintain social distancing. The puja and rituals can well start from the Tritia itself.

Low-key award judging: The government guidelines advocate for virtual judging of pandals. But if there has to be a physical visit by the judges then the number will have to be limited. Maximum of two cars of the judging party can visit the pandal at a time.

Emphasis on electronic and social media to reach people: The organisers have been asked to use electronic and social media to reach out to devotees, curbing the need for them to visit pandals.

Low-key inaugurations and immersions: The government has asked participants to keep inauguration a minimalist affair with no pomp and grandeur. For immersion, the organisers will have to follow pre-allotted ghat timings. The Durga idols will have to be taken directly to the ghat without any stopovers.

Online permission: The state government has directed concerned departments to make permission -obtaining procedures online.

The Mamta government has offered many benefits include free fire brigade service, tax rebate to corporations and panchayats, 50 per cent concessions on electricity for puja organisers and years of puja permissions for some organisers.