As Indians welcomes Devi Durga into their midst this Durga Puja, celebrations across the country will be muted as festivities are being conducted amid a raging COVID-19 pandemic.
The auspicious festival of Durga Puja celebrates Hindu goddess Durga, and marks the triumph of good over evil. Durga Puja is popular across North India but particularly popular in the states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, the Indian diaspora abroad too partakes in the festivity.
The festival is celebrated amidst much pomp and splendor. While this Durga Puja will be different than any other in the history of the event with pandals arming themselves with sanitizers and making the wearing of masks mandatory, some Puja pandals have restricted the list of guests to their respective localities.
In West Bengal, the High Court has restricted the admittance of devotees in pandals and only up to 45 organizers, at a time, will be allowed to tread into the pandals.
Here are few snapshots of the Durga pratima from across the country.