Upcoming Festive Season: Odisha Releases Guidelines

In view of the upcoming festive season from August till November, the Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has released a set of guidelines. As per the guidelines, Puja organizers/committees in rural and urban areas are allowed to conduct pujas in mandaps/pandals, but without devotees.

The SRC in its notification stated that for conducting Puja in pandals/mandaps, the organizers shall have to apply and obtain permission from the District Magistrate or concerned authorities. For areas under Cuttack & Bhubaneswar, the Commissionerate Police shall grant the required permissions. The notification informed that pujas shall be conducted indoors for observance of rituals without any public attendance. Meanwhile, the mandaps shall be covered on three sides along with the fourth side, in such a way so as to ensure no public view of the idols. There will be no immersion procession and the idols will be immersed in artificial ponds.

The SRC has also banned any type of mandap decorations, feasts, melody shows for the general public. However, educational institutions are allowed to observe Ganesh Puja with the presence of a limited number of students, the notification added. Meanwhile, the SRC has warned that strict action will be taken against people found violating the Covid-19 guidelines during the festive season.