Rajganj, 12th October: The impact of COVID-19 was clearly witnessed in the arrangements of Fulbari Battala Committee’s Durga Puja. Although the organizer prep theme-based puja every year, however, they chose to go ahead with an open pandal this year. Instead of a grand pandal, the committee gave more emphasis on the decorations and idols from Kolkata’s Kumartuli.
This year marks the 43rd puja of the Fulbari Battala Durga Puja Committee of Rajganj. The committee is known for its extravagant puja themes every year. Apart from different areas of the Rajganj block, a large number of people from Siliguri city also come to see the puja of Fulbari Battala.
Puja committee member Rupam Ghosh said that the committee opted to arrange the pandal following the COVID-19 protocols. Besides, they gathered comparatively fewer donations this year as most of the people are under financial crisis due to the lockdown. Earlier the puja was conducted with a budget of around Rs 18 lakh, but this time the puja is being conducted with only Rs 6 lakh.