Latasil Durga Puja to mark 50th year with Kedarnath-inspired pandal to be the key attraction

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: With just 15 days to go for the much-awaited Durga Puja festivities, the Guwahati Sarbajanin Durga Puja Samithi, Latasil, is gearing up for a grand celebration to mark the 50th year of its puja, with a Kedarnath Temple-inspired pandal set to be the central attraction.

The six-day celebrations will begin on October 16 and continue till October 21, with the golden jubilee edition expected to draw devotees and visitors from across the city.

The pandal will be constructed by a team of artisans from Cooch Behar, while artisans from Kolkata have been entrusted with crafting the Durga idol. The organisers have estimated a budget of around Rs 25 lakh for this year's celebrations.

Apart from the themed pandal, the committee has lined up a series of traditional cultural programmes during the festive period. A special puppet show will be organised on Ashtami night, while an Ojapali performance has been scheduled during the daytime.

Speaking to this reporter, a committee member said the puppet show was being organised with an aim to showcase and promote the traditional art form, which, according to the organisers, has been gradually losing popularity.

The 50th-year celebrations will also mark a return to the traditional festive spirit at Latasil after last year's puja was observed without a specific theme. The previous edition was dedicated to singer Zubeen Garg following his death.

This year, however, the committee has opted for the Kedarnath Temple theme as it prepares to commemorate five decades of the Latasil Durga Puja, combining the grandeur of the themed pandal with traditional cultural performances.

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