Thousands offer tarpan along river Hooghly on Mahalaya

Thousands of people offered tarpan along the bank of river Hooghly on Mahalaya day since early morning marking the end of Pirtipaksha and beginning of Devipaksha.

During tarpan, water is offered not only to the ancestors but also to those belonging to other 

religions, people who died in warfields, of burns, in the mothers’ womb and in battlefield making the ritual a universal one.

There was heavy deployment of police personnel to ensure peaceful observance of the festival.

The West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO) has chalked out an 

elaborate programme to celebrate Durga Puja in a befitting manner.

The day cottage at Eco Urban Village will be inaugurated in New Town and will be kept open from 9 am to 5 pm.

There is lush greenery and a clean water body so that the visitors can enjoy nature in serene and quiet atmosphere. There will be 15 per cent off between October 6 and 16.

Measures have been taken to increase the footfall by 15 per cent. In a meeting the officials had been asked to ensure so that the footfall went up by at least 15 per cent. From panchami through Dashami, dhakis will play dhaks at gate number 2 and 4 of Prakriti Tirtha.

The Panchapradeep situated at Mangaldeep or Akansha More will be lit up and dhaks will be played to welcome guests who enter the city from airport via New Town.

The Café Ekante has prepared special menu and combo offer where discounts will be made available.

Cultural programmes will be held at Nazrul Tirtha and Swapna Bhor. If four or more tickets are bought at a single billing at Mother’s Wax Museum, then a free group photo will be given along with the logo of MWM. There will be cultural programmes at the Business Club also.

The schemes have been taken up with utmost professional skill so that the victors can enjoy their visit to New Town.

Meanwhile, hectic activities are on at Kumartuli where the artisans are giving final touches to the idols. Many idols have already left for the pandals. In many houses where Durga Puja is held, the images are being given final touches. It is a spectacle to see how the images are being made from clay in the house of Rani Rashmoni at Janbazaar.

From Friday the priests were seen chanting hymns from Chandi which will continue till Durga Puja starts. The idol was taken to the platform where it will be worshipped. The weapons were placed on the hands Ma Durga. It may be mentioned that Sri Ramakrishna had visited the house during the Puja in the early 1870s.