Durga Puja 2017 At Bhubaneswar

Durga Puja is an important festival of eastern India. It marks the victory of good over evil.

Goddess Durga is Maa Durga i.e. Mother Durga. She had the powers to vanquish the evil demon named Mahishasura.

Durga Puja and Dussehra is celebrated with much fanfare and excitement at Odisha, India.

Capital city, Bhubaneswar, and its twin-city and former capital, Cuttack, have hundreds of Durga Puja Pandals. 

This Puja, I could manage to visit only half a dozen Pandals out of the hundreds!

Though it was raining heavily, the rains couldn't dampen the festive spirit. As the public flocked happily, the Pandals were teeming with ardent devotees.

Parking is a nightmare. But, Pandal-hopping is so much fun!

Bomikhal
The Bomikhal Pandal was like a white palace with angels on its walls beckoning us.

 Maa Durga and her team looked resplendent in gold.

Dussehra

Dussehra is a much-loved festival of India.
It celebrates the triumph of good over evil.

Goddess Durga had vanquished the 'Asura' or demon Mahishasura. After fighting with evil for 10 days and 9 nights on the tenth day, on Dussehra, Goddess Durga won. Durga Puja is celebrated with great pomp and grandeur especially in the eastern part of India.

Silver Filigree Durga Puja, Cuttack, Odisha

As per the Ramayana, Ravana was the learned king of Lanka. He had knowledge of the Shastras, and played musical instrument too.  He was punished for kidnapping Lord Ram's wife, Devi Sita, and for his ego.
On Dussehra, Lord Ram had killed Ravana.

Durga Puja - Khan Nagar, Cuttack

Durga Puja, an important festival of Odisha, India, has been celebrated for centuries here.

Cuttack, the estwhile capital city of Odisha, has Pandals whose budgets are crores of rupees.
Yes, you read it right. Not lakhs, but crores of rupees!

The idols are dressed in pure Gold & Silver-Filigree..

Cuttack is famous for its beautiful Silver-Filigree craft items & jewellery.
You must see the intricate designs to believe your eyes.
All this makes Cuttack a must-visit, isn't it?

This year too, Cuttack had hundreds of Pandals as usual.

I had the privilege to visit a few of them, but I could manage to click pics only of one- the Khan Nagar Pandal.