AGARTALA, Oct 10 (TIWN): Clubs are busy in carrying Goddess Durga idols on Panchami evening as with Shashthi puja, Durga puja will start tomorrow. Big pandals maximum had completed idols inside and others were carrying idols to the pandals. Due to shopping sprees in the city and people’s gathering in pandals, traffic jams have hit the vehicles movement of the city.Jams were witnessed in many parts of the town. The parking lot of City Centre to Sakuntala was chock-a-block with vehicles as Durga puja was knocking the doors. Sakuntala road was flooding in people’s crowd as “shopaholics” busy purchasing new clothes. Inside, excited shoppers moved from one store to another and restaurants had queues in front of them.

Puja shopping in Agartala however started as early as October, but due to Covid and economic crisis, the business has been at little low. Talking to a shop-keeper he said, “People are coming from all of various parts of the state and returning with moderate price tagged items. Loss has gripped our business”.

Today, it is Maha Panchami which starts the festive temperament whereas the actual puja in Bengali community will begin from tomorrow with Maha-Shashthi. The fifth day of Navratri (Maha-Panchami) is dedicated to Skandmata who is worshiped as the fifth form of Goddess Durga. She is considered to be extremely kind and it is said that this form of Goddess Durga defines motherhood. She has four arms, Lord Skanda in her lap and in the upper right arm. She is said to hold a lotus flower in her lower right arm. The upper arm on the left side is in Vara Mudra and the lower arm also has lotuses. She rides in on a lion and Skandmata also sits on the lotus seat, hence she is also called Padmasana Devi. So today is the day Maa opens the doors of salvation, bestows happiness, and fulfills all the wishes of her devotees.  
Shardiya Navratri starts from the Pratipada date of Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashwin. During the 9 days of Navratri, nine forms of Maa Durga are worshipped. Devotees also keep a fast to please Maa Durga. According to religious beliefs, during Navratri, all the wishes are fulfilled by worshiping Goddess Durga ritualistically. All types of purchases of buildings, land, vehicles, jewellery, clothes and gems are considered auspicious during Navratri. This time due to Chaturthi and Panchami being together, Kushmanda Mata and Skandmata will be worshiped together.

Clubs across Tripura are busy in puja preparations as various clubs’ pandals are to be inaugurated from today. CM to various leaders will participate in Durga puja pandal inauguration programmes.