Durga Puja Festivities Begin Today

Throughout the year, Indians celebrate numerous festivals. Durga Puja is one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated in West Bengal, mostly by those belonging to the Bengali community. It falls in the months of September and October. The festival celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon king Mahishasura, essentially honouring the divine feminine energy that is behind all life forms.

The town of Siliguri had been gearing up for the festival for the past several weeks. The first day of the festival, called Maha Saptami, falls on October 21st. The festival will come to an end on October 24 (Vijaya Dashami) when the idols will be immersed in nearby water bodies.

Around every turn and corner, huge pandals decorated with colourful patterns and lights have been set up. Inside every pandal lies the majestic idols of Goddess Durga, accompanied by Goddess Saraswati and Lakshmi and Gods Kartikeya and Ganesha. At the foot of Goddess Durga, lies the defeated demon Mahishasura. All the Gods and Goddesses have their animal-vehicle beside them. 

The pandals have been opened to the public. People of all ages, young and old, have been flocking to the pandals and waiting patiently in lines to get a glimpse of the idols. 

During the festival, large crowds gather on the roads and streets. This has led to more frequent traffic and road blockages. To make pandal hopping enjoyable and safe for the public, the Siliguri Metropolitan Police (SMP) has launched a mobile app called Kavach. 

The app can be downloaded from Google Playstore free of cost. The idea behind this was to provide faster assistance to those in emergencies. Although you can reach your nearest police station by dialling 100 on your phone, some people may find it difficult to do so. 

With this app, all you have to do is press a button, which will immediately notify the police control room. Your location will be tracked and an assistance team will be sent. This app will remain functional all year.