With Kumari Puja & Dhunachi Naach, Durga Puja pandals draw large crowds

Edited, 258
Jaipur: Durga Puja celebrations in the city were at their peak on Friday as it was the Mahastami (the eighth day), considered the ‘biggest day' of the rituals. Almost all puja pandals in the city, especially those sporting theme-based pandals, witnessed a footfall of thousands on the day.
It was not only people from the Bengali community thronging the pandals, but also locals in equal numbers."We have heard a lot about Durga Puja in Kolkata. Now, with this tradition being replicated in Jaipur along with attractive works of art, we did not want to miss it. I was overwhelmed to see the boat-shaped pandal," said Sumit Bajaj, who came visiting the puja pandal at Vaishali Nagar with his family.
The morning's rituals started with the traditional anjalis, followed by games, cultural programmes, and the famous Dhunuchi dance in the evening. As Ashtami and Navami coincided according to the almanac this year, Kumari Puja was organised at many Durga puja pandals in the city.
"The main attraction of Durga Puja is Kumari Puja, which signifies the worship of young girls to seek the blessings of Goddess Durga. Like other puja committees, we also organised it on Friday morning. This year is different. On Friday morning, we organised anjalis for Ashtami and Navami together," said Samir Dandapat, the secretary of Sarbojonin Puja Utsav Samiti at Murlipura.
There was a huge turnout of devotees during the bhog in the afternoon and also in the evening. "We expected such large crowds," said Sudipto Sen, the president of Durga Bari Puja Committee.
Jaipur: Durga Puja celebrations in the city were at their peak on Friday as it was the Mahastami (the eighth day), considered the ‘biggest day' of the rituals. Almost all puja pandals in the city, especially those sporting theme-based pandals, witnessed a footfall of thousands on the day.
It was not only people from the Bengali community thronging the pandals, but also locals in equal numbers. "We have heard a lot about Durga Puja in Kolkata. Now, with this tradition being replicated in Jaipur along with attractive works of art, we did not want to miss it. I was overwhelmed to see the boat-shaped pandal," said Sumit Bajaj, who came visiting the puja pandal at Vaishali Nagar with his family.
The morning's rituals started with the traditional anjalis, followed by games, cultural programmes, and the famous Dhunuchi dance in the evening. As Ashtami and Navami coincided according to the almanac this year, Kumari Puja was organised at many Durga puja pandals in the city.
"The main attraction of Durga Puja is Kumari Puja, which signifies the worship of young girls to seek the blessings of Goddess Durga. Like other puja committees, we also organised it on Friday morning. This year is different. On Friday morning, we organised anjalis for Ashtami and Navami together," said Samir Dandapat, the secretary of Sarbojonin Puja Utsav Samiti at Murlipura.
There was a huge turnout of devotees during the bhog in the afternoon and also in the evening. "We expected such large crowds," said Sudipto Sen, the president of Durga Bari Puja Committee.