Warm greetings on auspicious occasion of Navratri: West Bengal CM Mamata

Kolkata, Sep 22 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday extended her wishes to people on the occasion of Navratri.

Navratri, the annual Hindu festival celebrated in honour of goddess Durga, is deeply significant in eastern and northeastern India, where it coincides with Durga Puja. The festival marks the triumph of goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura, symbolising the restoration of dharma.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister wrote, "I extend my warm greetings to everyone on this auspicious occasion of Navratri."

CM Mamata has been actively participating in the Durga Puja celebrations across the state.

On Sunday, she inaugurated several Durga Puja pandals and reiterated her message that peace and harmony can only prevail in an atmosphere of unity. A day earlier, she inaugurated multiple mandaps and once again highlighted the idea of unity in diversity.

She also advised people to remain cautious in view of the inclement weather.

"We have to be alert. We are keeping a watch on the situation. If there is rain in Jharkhand, Bihar and our state gets affected. Similarly, if neighbouring states experience heavy rainfall, it often results in floods here due to overflowing reservoirs. Given Bengal's geographic location, we face such challenges. Let's hope for a rain-free Durga Puja as lakhs of people eagerly await the festivities," she said.

Banerjee announced that she will inaugurate as many as 3,000 Durga pujas, most of them virtually, ahead of the five-day festival.

She also revealed that 17 songs penned by her will be released on Mahalaya, which marks the beginning of Devi Paksha.

On Saturday afternoon, the Chief Minister inaugurated the Hatibagan Durga Puja and the Tala Prottoy Puja. Speaking at the event, she clarified that she would not unveil the idols before Mahalaya.

"I am not unveiling the deities, that can be done only from Mahalaya, marking the advent of Devi Paksha. I am only inaugurating the pandals having beautiful interiors reflecting the heritage and aesthetics of Bengal," she said.

--IANS

sd/