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Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 13 (EMN): The Durga Puja festival, which began on Monday, has been celebrated in a low-key affair in Nagaland for two consecutive years due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The organisers and devotees had to scale down Durga Puja celebrations in view of Covid safety protocols.
At Gorkha Singhadevi Mandir Complex in Chandmari, Kohima, devotees were notified that all major events and programmes had been cancelled and celebration in the form of prayers would be conducted by strictly following the SOP laid down by the government.
Joint Secretary of Gorkha Singhadevi Mandir Committee, Anup Rana said that they used to celebrate the festival in a grant manner by opening food stalls and conducting various programmes and activities before Covid struck last year.
However, owing to the pandemic and to maintain social distancing, they conducted the celebration in a small and safe manner this time, he said.
'In fact, families are not bringing their children and grandparents. From one house, only one or two members are coming. In this way, devotees are few compared to previous years,' he said.
He went on to inform that about 20 volunteers had been trained to maintain the Covid-19 SOP at the pandals. Further, devotees were encouraged to leave mandir after their prayers were offered to avoid rush, he added.
‘Every year, the committee is trying its best to make the festival eco-friendly. Whatever things used inside the temple by the pandits, we try to give them on a banana leave. In the same manner, devotees are also encouraged to use them as well,’ he said.