Cuttack: With puja pandals remaining out of bounds for devotees, they will certainly miss the elaborate decoration, dazzling illumination and the sparkling gold and silver tableaus of the Millennium city during this year's Durga puja.
The display of gold and silver embellishments at the pandals has been done away with due to security reasons. Besides, puja committee members are of the view that such tableaus or golden crowns won't look good in the small idols, which have been created this year as per the Supreme Court guidelines in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.
Apart from the Durga idol, all the other deities including Ganesh, Kartik, Laxmi and Saraswati who flank her will also not be decorated with any gold/silver ornaments.
"We are not using any gold or silver ornaments this year. The idols are being decorated with other items and tableaus with glittering zari works," said Maheswar Mohapatra, chief priest of Ranihat Puja committee.
On safety measures at pandals, Cuttack DCP Pratik Singh said, "We have made security arrangements at all the puja pandals."
Meanwhile, several puja committees are sensitising people not to visit pandals in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and witness the rituals virtually at home.