AGARTALA, Oct 16 (TIWN): ‘Sarodiya’ morning with Nyctanthes flowers (Shiuli in Bengali) has welcomed Durga Devi on Maha Saptami. The 'Anjali' (offering of flowers) ritual was observed at 11.30 am as the puja of Sapatmi started from 9.30 am today. After a fascinating start, the Durga Puja spirit soared on Tuesday which marked Maha Saptami -- day two of the Puja -- as thousands of revellers, adorned up in their best, hit the streets of here and across Tripura. The day started off with morning prayers, as the rituals commenced with "pran pratistha" where the deity was symbolically endowed with life and invoked in a group of nine plants bunched together -- the 'Navapatrika'. The "Kola Bou", a tender banana plant symbolising a bride, was given a river bath amidst drum beats, wrapped in a sari and placed next to the idol of Ganesha. Through "pran pratistha", the spirit of Durga as a warrior goddess is awakened, and she starts her battle against the manifestation of all evils in the form of Mahishasura -- the buffalo demon.In accordance with custom, fasting devotees offered flowers to the goddess in obeisance and later gorged on an array of delicacies.

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AGARTALA, Oct 16 (TIWN): Even though 7th Pay Commission has been a far reality for Tripura employees, pensioners, but due to rumour ongoing on 7th Pay Commission price hike has hit the market. On Saptami Day, fruits to vegetable all items prices went high whereas cabbage price crossed 120. Whereas only 0.32 factor was hiked for employees merely with 14.2% hike in salaries, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb and party continue to lie that Govt is done with 7th Pay Commission. As a result in market rates of commodities have been increased more, whereas Govt employees are unable to make shopkeepers to understand that 7th Pay Commission has not been given. CM however mentioned, due to fund crisis followed by CPI-M regime of 25 years, BJP Govt could not implement various allowances for employees. But in Verma Committee report it has been clearly said that since 2014 fund deprivation started with Tripura and thus no Govt could implement 7th Pay Commission. Shockingly Verma Committee has said that since 2014 (Modi Govt) the funding decreased.

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AGARTALA, Oct 16 (TIWN): Pomp and pageantry and devotion marked the occasion of Maha Saptami at Durga Bari temple as hundreds of people decked up in their best and gathered at the temple to offer prayers to Goddess Durga on Tuesday morning. Since early morning, people have been thronging at Durga Bari temple where idol of the goddess Durga with two hands at her back and her four children are being worshiped amid much community fanfare. People danced, whistled, mingled with friends and family in an infectious all-embracing spirit. The religious rituals of Maha Saptami (seventh day on the lunar calendar) began with the bathing of a banana plant in ponds. The plant is treated like a bride, wrapped in a new sari and placed next to the idol of Lord Ganesh, son of Goddess Durga. This plant is called Kalabau' (banana plant bride) - considered the wife of Ganesha. The ritual is called 'Nabapatrika snan-o-sthapan' and many believe this practise is traced to the agrarian society of east India. The Nabapatrika (new leaves) consists of nine banana leaves. After the ritual, special worship for Saptami started and devotees on an empty stomach thronged pandals to pray to Durga and offered her 'pushpanjali' (floral offerings to the goddess).

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