DURGA PUJA AT ROURKELA 2009

(PANDALS OF SEC-2, SEC-16 AND SEC-8)

Everytime I visit the pandals and idols at Rourkela, I feel special and a feeling of pride overwhelms my heart. This time was no different. The pandals of Sector-16, Sector-2 and Sector-8 will remain in my memory forever. Beyond the pandals and idols the festival of Durga Puja at Rourkela means much more. Its about the spirit that forces the people of Rourkela to come out of their houses at 11 0' clock in the night on Astami and Navami and visit the pandals. Its the spirit that unites all the people of Rourkela and the people forget their religion, caste, sub-caste and come together. In the presence of Maa Durga all are same, all are humans.

The spirit of Durga Puja creates fantasies in the minds of children. Children dream of different types of pandals and idols, they dream of the food items they will be having in the melas, they dream of the rides they will be sitting on, they dream of the different things they will be buying, they dream of the wonderful dresses they will be buying, etc. The festival ends with the bhasani of the idols but it remains fresh in the minds of these little Gods till the arrival of the festival next year.

This time during the puja I not only visited the pandals but was also able to meet many of my schoolmates. Most of them are well-settled. The memories of the time we spent together flashed back and we shared the pranks and masti we did in our schooldays. Many of them are settled outside Rourkela. But they try to visit Rourkela once in a year, mainly during Durga Puja. I asked them why are they still attached to Rourkela, as nobody of their family stayed here anymore. They told me that something attracted them to Rourkela. They even told me that I was lucky to settle at Rourkela.

Thus with my memories filled with happy moments and beautiful sights I move on for another festival called LIFE.