Artisans are burning the midnight oil to give final touches to the idols, laborers are running against time to complete the marquees and organizers are pulling out all stops to embrace the good old days of the pre-pandemic fête.
A fortnight from now, the streets of Cuttack will be bustling with people of all ages and communities from across Odisha to soak in the festive spirit of Durga Puja, the city’s mega festival that is being conducted for over 500 years.
Preparations are in full swing as organizers are upbeat about conducting a grand celebration this time, especially as the past two years were marred with restrictions on public participation and idol height due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The festival in Cuttack transcends barriers of religion with participation from all communities. “From Hindus to Muslims, everyone celebrates the festival together as it is a city of brotherhood,” Cuttack Mahanagar Santi Committee general secretary Bhikari Das told