Durga Puja: Festival of bonding

Lucknow, Oct 9: Army personnel have been lending a helping hand to local people in the celebrations of Durga Puja festival for more than five decades in the Uttar Pradesh capital.

The festival at the now famous 'Durgabari' started way back in 1951, when the then senior officers, including Brigadier Ajjab Singh, Sub Area Commander S N Mathur and the then Cantonment Board Officer B N Pal took up the Initiative.

In the early years, the Puja remained a low key affair, but with the passage of time it gained popularity and people's support. A 'Cantonment Puja Sewa Samiti' was constituted for its management.

The Durgabari was at a later stage provided a piece of land in the Cantonment area.

According to Organiser of the Samiti S N Pal, Durgabari's Puja pandal has in a way strengthened the cordial relations between the jawans and the common man.

Various cultural programmes are also conducted that attract a good crowd along with the 'Mangal Aarti,' Mr Pal added.

Elaborate security arrangements were made this year at hundreds of special pandals across the city and state this year in view of the terrorist threat.

UNI