Durga Puja 2022: Rain plays spoilsport on Navami; Silchar immerses in rain water

way2barak, Oct.5: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued heavy to very heavy rainfall warning for several states/UTs during Durga Puja 2022. And true to the forecast, Silchar witnessed rainfall on Saptami and Asthami, but those were just brief spells which failed to dampen the spirit of the devotees.

However, on Navami, rain indeed played spoilsport. The overcast sky since the morning of Navami during Durga Puja 2022 gave signal that there was high probability of rainfall. As per weather forecast, heavy to very heavy rainfall was expected almost throughout Assam. Since evening, it started to rain, but as the intensity of the showers was less, so people came out usually for pandal hopping.

However, after midnight on Navami, all of a sudden, it started to rain cats and dogs. Those who were out on the streets took shelter in the puja pandals. For around 30 to 40 minutes, Silchar witnesses heavy rainfall at a stretch. And what usually happens after rainfall over here was again witnessed by the people of Silchar- ‘mini flood’. Though rainfall continued almost the entire night, but that heavy spell for around 40 minutes was enough to inundate many parts of Silchar including Church Road, Ambicapatty, Public School Road etc.

Vehicles were seen to ply on the water logged roads of Silchar town. Those who went out pandal hopping on Navami on foot were perhaps the worst sufferers. They became bound to walk through the water-logged roads. It was indeed a sorry state of affairs to see people wearing new clothes during Durga Puja walking through the dirty water-logged streets.

Infact, the problem of water- logging after a spell of shower is nothing new for the inhabitants of Silchar. Civic life over here has been taken for a ride since many years. However, none could imagine that even during the Durga Puja, they would witness such a scene. Devi Durga would start her return journey on Dashami, but her devotees in Silchar will perhaps have to face such intolerable civic life in the coming days too. A newly wedded couple who went out for pandal hopping on Navami night got struck for more than a hour at the pandal of Public School Road. The wife, who works with a private airline said, “Hope Ma Durga will instill good sense and the civic authorities will wake up from their deep slumber to provide us a civilised existence!”