Cheers! Met Dept forecasts clear sky during Puja fest

Kolkata: Bringing a sigh of relief for Puja revelers, the Alipore Meteorological office has assured that there will be no rain during the Puja days. The weather bulletin stated that there will be clear skies between October 14 and 19.

On Saturday the city woke up to an overcast sky, with some areas receiving medium to moderate rainfall. In South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, and East and West Midnapore there was moderate to heavy rainfall in some pockets.

The Puja organisers were visibly annoyed as it will take at least two to three days to dry the fabric used to decorate the pandals. In the districts, most of the pandals are erected on grass fields and hence dry weather is required.

However, the situation improved from the afternoon with the rainy spell coming to an end. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also assured that she has got information that there will be no rain during the Puja days.

Braving the rain, people visited pandals from the morning on Saturday, carrying umbrellas and raincoats. "We want to enjoy every moment and rain has failed to dampen our spirits," said Teesta Roy, who visited Tridhara in south Kolkata with her friends.

Once the rain stopped, organisers began the hectic work of giving the pandals the final touches.

Saturday being Chaturthi, thousands of people came out on the streets and visited the important community Pujas. Long queues were seen in front of Suruchi Sangha and Chetla Agrani, organised by state Public Works Department Minister Aroop Biswas and Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department Minister Firhad Hakim.