Guwahati wears festive look!

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Sept 26: Guwahati wears a festive look with the beginning of Sashthi puja on Tuesday amidst ululation and sounds of conch shells. What is glaringly visible in the puja is luxurious competitions, together with fat budgets. The essence of all pujas, spirituality, is seemingly missing.

Money is spent more on luxury than on spirituality by almost all puja committees, most of which resorted to hire artisans, pandal makers, decorators and illumition artists from West Bengal. However, a few of them have tried their best to give an eco-friendly effect to the puja. A few others have relied on local artisans and artists looked upon by others as ‘local yokels’. On this count, mentioned may be made on noted artisan Nuruddin Ahmed who erected the 100-foot-tall idol of Bishnupur Durga Puja Samiti that had been flattened by a whirlwind recently. He made the idol only with bamboo. His bold effort is worthy off scripting history. The puja committee that had a budget of Rs 27 lakh has to be raised it afresh after the wind playing spoilsports.    

While the Maidam Beltola Lakshmimandir Sarbojanin Durgotsav Udjapon Samiti has a budget of Rs 15 lakh, Dispur Barowary Puja Samiti and Jyoti Kala Kendra have a budget of Rs 25 lakh, yantara Club Saradiya Sri Sri Durga Puja has a budget of Rs 12 lakh, Sadou Japorigog Sarbajanin Puja Samiti Aru Kala-Krishti Vikash Kendra has a budget of Rs 16 lakh, Santipur Sluice Gate Sarbajanin Durga Puja has a budget of RS 16 lakh, at Latasil Guwahati Sarbajanin Durga Puja has a budget of Rs 16 lakh,  Geetagar Sarbajanin Durga Puja Samiti has a budget of Rs 25 lakh, Sarbajanik Sri Sri Durga Puja, Railway Colony Kalibari has a small budget of Rs 8 lakh, Pandu Cabin Tiniali Byobashayee Santha has a budget of Rs 9 lakh, Rest Camp Kalibari Sarbajanin Durgotsav has a budget of Rs 25 lakh, American Colony Sarbojanin Durga Puja has a budget of Rs 20 lakh, Kamakhya Colony Sarbajanin Durgotsav Samiti has a budget of Rs 12.50 lakh, Brihattar rengi Durga Puja Samiti has a budget of Rs 12 lakh, Sarbajanin Sri Sri Durgapuja Samiti at Silpukhuri has a budget of Rs 7 lakh, Institute Colony Durga Puja Samiti has a budget of Rs 6 lakh, Chandmari Rajohuwa Puja Committee has a budget of Rs 5 lakh, Athgaon Durga Puja Committee has a budget of Rs 15 lakh etc.