Glimpses of some of the Durga Puja pandals of Silchar through the lens of way2barak

Oct. 11: The auspicious festival of Durga Puja is an annual five-day celebration originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the goddess Maa Durga. While puja rituals begin with Mahalaya, the main festival starts on Maha Sasthi, the sixth day of Devipaksha. This year, Durga Puja begins from Monday, October 11 (Maha Shasthi) and will end on Friday, October 15. On Maha Shashti, Durga Puja celebrations begin with full gusto and the idol of Maa Durga is unveiled to visitors at the pandal. Drums, known as ‘Dhaak’, are banged on every pandal.

• Mahalaya: Wednesday, October 6, 2021
• Maha Shasthi: Monday, October 11, 2021
• Maha Saptami: Tuesday, October 12, 2021
• Durga Ashtami: Wednesday, October 13, 2021
• Maha Navami: Thursday, October 14, 2021
• Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra): Friday, October 15, 2021.

However, the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic since 2020 has played a spoilsport to the celebrations during Durga Puja. This year too, the puja of Goddess Durga is performed amidst a host of restrictions imposed both by the central and the state government. In Silchar, the celebrations remained a low-key affair due to the several restrictions imposed by the government. But devotees braving the challenges started to visit the puja pandals from the day of Maha Shasthi. Let’s have a glimpse of some of the puja pandals of Silchar town.

Dakhhin Bilpar (Public School Road): 

Tarun Club, Sonai Road:

Tarapur Motor Stand

Female Dhak players at Tarapur Motor Stand

SS Rice Mill, Tarapur

Railway Colony Puja, Tarapur Station

Ananda Parishad, Tarapur

Shyama Prasad Road Durga Puja, Shillong Patty

Ambicapatty Chourangi Durga Puja

Durga Puja at Bilpar

Juvenile Club, Sonai Road:

Ramkrishna Mission Silchar & CR Avenue (National Highway)