The capital city bid a tearful and grand adieu to Goddess Durga, marking the end of the four-day Durga Puja festivities.
With the rhythmic beats of traditional instruments echoing through the streets, nearly 195 idols from various Puja mandaps across the city were taken in spectacular processions for immersion in artificial ponds created by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Tradition Triumphs Over DJs
This year, the Commissionerate Police strictly banned DJs and firecrackers, leading to a vibrant showcase of Odisha’s rich cultural heritage. Processions were led by traditional Ghanta beats, Sankirtan, Dhol, Mahuri, and tribal folk dances, leaving thousands of spectators mesmerized. The city’s four major Bhasani Committees—Saheed Nagar, Nayapalli, Chandrasekharpur, and Old Town—navigated their respective designated routes toward the immersion ghats.
Notably, the Nayapalli Mandir Suraksha Bhasani Samiti celebrated its Silver Jubilee (25 years) with great pomp, orchestrating a disciplined procession of 18 idols under the supervision of DCP Dr. Saravana Vivek M. Meanwhile, Koradakanta witnessed a unique immersion where devotees danced dressed as various deities and animals, including bears, parrots, and vultures, adding a distinct flavor to the traditional farewell.
Traffic Comes to a Standstill
The massive turnout brought vehicular movement to a grinding halt across the city. From 2 PM until 2 AM, long queues of vehicles, buses, and auto-rickshaws were stranded, particularly affecting the National Highway. Despite the deployment of 48 police platoons and extensive route diversions across Janpath, Nayapalli, Saheed Nagar, and Chandrasekharpur, the sheer volume of spectators lining the streets resulted in heavy congestion. Traffic is expected to normalize fully only after the final immersions conclude.
Splits and High-Stakes Laddu Auctions in North Bhubaneswar
In North Bhubaneswar, the immersion dynamics took a new turn. Originally, 26 mandaps were scheduled to unite under two committees, but 8 mandaps broke away to conduct their own independent immersions. The remaining 18 divided themselves between Club Town and Damana grounds.
The celebrations here were highlighted by high-stakes Laddu auctions. At the Damana ground, a 1.2-quintal laddu prepared by the Gadakana Puja Committee was auctioned for ₹1.5 lakh to the Raghunathpur Committee. Surpassing this, at the Club Town ground, a 1.5-quintal laddu prepared by the District Centre Owners Association was auctioned off for a staggering ₹2 lakh to the Gandarpur Puja Committee.
Environmental Concerns at the Ghats
To prevent river pollution, the BMC constructed temporary artificial ponds along the Kuakhai and Daya river beds, such as in Raghunathpur. However, Mayor Sulochana Das expressed strong dissatisfaction during her inspection regarding the poor initial conditions of two artificial ponds at the Kuakhai riverbed, ensuring immediate rectifications were made before the immersion rituals commenced.
Crackdown on the ‘Banjara’ Snatching Gang
The festive crowds became prime targets for looters, with reports of nearly 190 mobile phones and 21 gold chains being snatched over three days, especially in high-footfall areas like Baramunda, Nayapalli, Saheed Nagar, and Rasulgarh. Acting swiftly, police busted the active ‘Banjara’ gang, arresting 14 members—including 4 men, 5 women, and 5 minors—and detaining 17 others. Authorities successfully recovered 22 stolen mobile phones, one gold chain, a tablet, and five vanity bags.
