Capital glows in devotion amid pandal rush

On Mahasaptami, the seventh day of Durga Puja, Bhubaneswar came alive with sacred chants, elaborate rituals, and vibrant displays of art and devotion.

- ARINDAM GANGULY, OP

The 62-ft idol of Goddess Durga at Tangibanta, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, Monday

(PIC: BIKASH NAYAK)

Devotees thronged major pandals from the early hours, marking the spiritual high of the festival, even as traffic congestion and crowd management posed challenges for the City.

Mahasaptami, a key day in the Durga Puja calendar, marks the formal invocation of Goddess Durga. At sunrise, priests across Bhubaneswar's pandals conducted traditional Saptami rituals, including Nabapatrika Snan (bathing of nine plants), Shodashopachara Puja (sixteen-fold worship), and Saptami Homa, with devotees offering flowers, incense, fruits, and sweets.