KHULNA, Oct 17, 2020 (BSS) – The artisans in different places here as elsewhere in the country are passing their busy time to make final touches on the idols just a few days ahead of the sacred Durga puja , the biggest religious festival of the Bengali Hindus .
The five-day Sharodiya Utsab will begin on October 22 and conclude on October 26 through the immersion of idols .
This year, Durga Puja will be held at 982 Mandaps in the city and district maintaining social distance and health safety guide lines, set up by the government.
Around 400 Idol makers in different puja pandels in Khulna city and district are found busy in finishing touches to idols ahead of the Puja.
General Secretary of City Unit Puja Udjapon Parisad Prashanta Kumar Kundu told BSS that a total of 136 Durga Mandaps will be set up in the city while 846 Durga Puja Mandaps will be erected in all nine upazilas of the district to celebrate Durga Puja.
While visiting the largest Dharmasava Puja mandap in the city this correspondent found that artisans are now busy painting the images of Durga to make attractive to the devotees and the visitors.
Talking to BSS, Ram Prasad, an idol maker of Dharmasava Puja mandap in the city said this year the idol-makers are expected to earn more profit than last year.
He said the cost of raw materials including earth, rope, straw, bamboo and jute, the most essential ingredients of the idols have highly increased this years.
Manash Kumar Ghosh, organizing secretary of Dharmasava Puja Mandap in the city, told BSS that preparations for the idols of Durga have become costlier due to high price of the raw materials and increased charges of idol makers and their relevant companions .
Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) and Khulna District Police authorities have separately taken adequate security measures for smooth and peaceful celebration of the Puja.
KMP commissioner Md Masudur Bhuiyan said all kinds of security measures, uninterrupted electricity supply and traffic management would be ensured for peaceful celebration of Puja festival.
Khulna Superintendent of Police S M Shafiullah said, security measures have been taken in each mandap. A team of policemen and ansars will be deployed in all puja pandels.
Deputy Commissioner Md Helal Hossain said disinfectant components including hand wash, sanitizers,and thermal scanner machines will be set up in each entrance of the Puja Mondap in the wake of ongoing coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).
He added that close circuit television cameras would also be installed in all puja Mandaps.
The DC said Puja Committee has been asked to install fire extinguishers in all Puja Mandaps and more than ten devotees at a time are not allowed to visit the pandel and rally on the day of immersion will be prohibited due to COVID-19.