GUWAHATI: Amid corona fear, people thronged the Durga Puja pandals in the city on Mahasaptami, saying it was a welcome break after staying under strict restrictions for the past 18 months.
Usually, the city hosts over 400 Pujas every year. But the impact of Covid-19 pandemic can be seen everywhere, as the shine is missing from the Puja pandals.
The sharp rise in prices of clothes, food including sweets, have severely dented the pockets of the common man. Moreover, the spiralling prices of petrol and diesel have only added to the woes. The price of petrol breached the century mark in the city on Sunday.
“Despite the price hike, people have come out to celebrate, albeit adhering to the basic Covid-19 protocols. The vaccine has helped allay the fears to some extent. However, we have to maintain Covid protocols to stay safe,” said Prasanna Sarma, a reveller.
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to the people to maintain Covid-appropriate behaviour and avoid overspeeding while driving or riding two-wheelers.
The budget of one of the most attractive Pujas in the city — Maligaon Kalibari Durga Puja — is just around Rs 4 lakh. “The budget before the pandemic was around Rs 15-16 lakh,” said Amitabh Choudhury, the executive member of the committee.
He said, “People are already going through a severe economic crisis due to the pandemic. People do not have the capacity to donate now. You cannot demand also. On the other hand, the prevailing Covid-19 situation is also another reason to avoid gatherings. Considering all these things, we have fixed the budget around Rs 4 lakh and organised the Puja.”
