RAJSHAHI, October 17, 2023 (BSS)- The Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has allocated Taka 20,000 to each of the Puja mandaps in the city this year aims at making the forthcoming celebration of Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, more festive and enthusiastic among the devotees.
 
City Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton today distributed the financial support at a meeting with all the officials concerned including the leaders and members of the Puja Udjapan Parishad to mark the ensuing Sharodiya Durga Puja-2023 at the city bhaban conference hall here.

He also announced that they will extend all sorts of necessary support to each of the puja mondaps for proper and peaceful celebration of the festival.

On behalf of the city corporation, they will illuminate all puja mondaps through searchlights. All sorts of necessary measures will also be taken for successful immersion of the idols.
 
With Chief Executive Officer Dr ABM Sharif Uddin in the chair, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Trustee of the Hindu Dharmio Kollyan Trust Tapan Kumar Sen and Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Bibhuti Bhushan Banerjee.
 
The meeting was told that the Durgotsob will be celebrated in 79 Puja mandaps in the city this year from October 20 to 24.
 
Mayor Liton urged the puja committee leaders to set up closed circuit cameras in the important puja mandaps alongside metal detectors in the main entrances. There should be separate gates for male and females.

He asked the police administration to keep close coordination with the puja committees round the clock. He also gave instructions to the traffic division to enhance traffic management.

"We have to put in our level best efforts to ensure communal harmony for all faiths in each of the puja mandaps," he added.
 
Meanwhile, the preparations for celebrating the Durga Puja is going on everywhere in the metropolis at present. People of the community are passing their busiest days with the works of decorating and painting idols and Puja mandaps ahead of their festival.
 
Idol makers commonly known as Pauls are passing their busy days in the final touch works of idols of Hindu deities. With only five days left, the Pauls are working round the clock to make sure that the idols are ready in time.
 
Decorations of temples, lighting, and setting up of mandaps are expected to turn the city into a festive look within the next couple of days.
 
Police administration has chalked out elaborate security measures to make the celebration a total success.
 
"We have adopted tight security measures to make the Rajshahi city's Durga Puja celebration festive and successful," said Bibhuti Bhushan Banerjee.