Ara residents in festive mood

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara: Residents of Ara town on Tuesday worshiped the third of the nine forms of goddess Durga at different pandals. The traditional drummers have started beating their instrument heralding the start of eagerly awaited Durga Puja festival since since October 1. Puja committees are making elaborate arrangements for welcoming Goddess Durga and giving finishing touch to the special tents and shamianas erected for the purpose. As per a rough estimate, idols will be installed at about 400 places in Bhojpur district.

Devotees including men, women and children are turning up in large numbers at different important temples including Aranaya Devi Temple. At different places, puja pandals and residential houses of individual devotees, priests have been engaged for recitation of Shri Durga Saptashati. The puja pandals are also being decorated by the organizers at different places and illuminated.

A noted astrologer Om Prakash said it would be eleven-day festival instead of the normal ten day Dussehara as per the Hindu calendar (Vikram Samvat), the dwitiya tithi falls on two days i.e. on Sunday and Monday.

The district administration has held peace committee meetings and making security arrangements to maintain law and order during the festival. Bhojpur SP Kashtranil Singh said that officials had been directed to keep a close watch on sensitive areas. He further said additional police pickets have been set up besides round the clock patrolling in all the important and vulnerable areas had begun.