AAP MLA on Monday said that no Durga Puja pandals will be allowed to set up in Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, he added, that the puja in the main temple will be held with the entry of around 50 people. 

The Chittaranjan Park committee along with the committees of Greater Kailash 1 and 2, Alakananda and Kalkaji have decided to suspend all Durga Puja celebrations in the area, on the advice of Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj on Monday, as per a PTI report.

Bhardwaj, the Greater Kailash legislator, said the decision was taken in view of a huge number of senior citizen population in the area.

“Most of the population of CR Park and members of puja committees are senior citizens and it is important that they remain indoors and avoid contact with unknown people in pandals,” the MLA said.

Online darshans, home delivery of prasad and COVID-19 tests for priests are some of the unique measures that Durga Puja organisers have come up with to mitigate the spread of the novel virus and conduct the Puja in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic.

Also Read: West Bengal all set to begin its virtual pandal-hopping this Durga Puja

The
committee has collaborated with a Direct to Home service provider and a local
operator so that devotees can have a darshan of Durga idols from their houses.
The temple society also has plans to facilitate online darshan through its
Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The
Society Joint Seretary Prodip Ganguly stated, “Around 2.5 lakh people
attend our Durga Puja. Due to COVID-19, we have decided to organise the
festival in a simple manner this year. Only a few members of our management
committee will be in attendance.”

He
added, that the committee, “We have hired certified cook to prepare prasad
and he has to show negative COVID-19 report. As devotees will not be allowed,
we will deliver prasad at their doorsteps within a 2-km radius for which an
agency has been engaged.”

Ganguly
further stated that the committee has arranged for live telecast of its aarti
so that devotees can offer Pushpanjali from the secure confines of their homes.
The committee added all rituals will be live streamed and said that their Durga
Pratima which is usually 12 to 14 ft every year, is just 5ft this time around.

The
Purbanchal Bangiyo Samiti, an umbrella body of 38 Durga Puja Committees located
in East Delhi stated, that it would allow only 10 members will be allowed to
have dashan of the durga idol at a time. Similarly the names of the visitors
will be registered to facilitate contact tracing.

Samiti
General Secretary Mrinal K Biswas said, “In view of the pandemic, Durga
idol will be worshipped in 13 temples while 12 committees will organise only
‘Kalash’ puja.”

He
added, “We have also decided to hire two priests due to COVID-19. If the
main priest gets infected, the other can perform the puja.”

Also Read: Durga Puja pandals a no-entry zone in West Bengal, orders Calcutta High Court

The
Durga Puja Charitable Committee which claims to be organising the Puja for 111
years said it will be conduct COVID-19 tests on the six labourers engaged in
building pandals.  

The
Committee’s General Secretary Robin Bose added that devotees will be limited
and will be encouraged to download the Aarogya Setu application on their
phones.

The
Mata Mandir Sarbojanin Durga Samity has decided against allowing outsiders to the
puja.