Dimapur, October 11 (MExN): The Dimapur Hindu Seva Samiti, while extending festive greetings, issued a set of rules and regulations to be followed by Puja committees and the community so that the festival is celebrated peacefully and safely.
A press release to this effect was issued by Hindu Seva Samiti President YP Gupta on Monday requesting all Puja committees to perform the pujas in the true religious spirit. “Proper discipline and decorum should be maintained at all cost, so that the image of Hindu faith is held high,” the release stated.
As per the rules and regulations, all puja pandals should be erected in such a way that they do not disturb public thoroughfare and pandals should display posters and banners on the theme of "Clean Dimapur, Green Dimapur, Save Energy."
Loud speakers should be played in such a way that they do not disturb the neighbourhood and general public, it stated while stipulating that the sound system should be turned off by 9.00 pm. It is advisable not to bring children below 10 years and senior citizen above 65 years due to pandemic and all the devotees are requested to visit puja pandals till 9:00 pm only, the release stated.
Directing all Puja committees to keep a strict vigil to prevent and ban the consumption of alcohol during the days of puja and immersion functions, the Hindu Seva Samiti also requested that only devotional songs and music should be played in the Puja Pandals and “playing of drums, cymbals and conchs are the part of our culture and should be encouraged.”
Consumption of alcohol should be discouraged at all cost as it is against the Hindu culture and faith, it added.
All Puja Committees are requested to keep a strict vigil on the suspected or unclaimed articles like bag, cartons etc. lying in or around the Puja Pandals; they must immediately inform the concerned Police Station to avoid any untoward incident, it underscored.
The release further stated that on the Vijaya Dashmi day, there would be no procession for the immersion. As such, all trucks carrying the idols have been requested to assemble at the immersion ghat at Purana Bazaar on the bank of river Dhansiri (below over bridge) from 9:00 am onwards.
“Members of all Puja Committees are requested to wear the ethnic/traditional costumes or white Chola-pyjama during the immersion procession in order to show uniformity and integrity,” it said.
In order to control the river pollution, all puja committees have also been requested not to bring any type of waste along with the idols and to bring any unattended idol lying on the road side for immersion so that the idols are not desecrated.. As per the advice of the Nagaland Pollution Control Board, we should cooperate with them in keeping our Dhansari River free from Pollution, it added.
It also advised the committees “to control their own members and prevent scuffles with the other puja committees or general public. Immersion is a solemn ceremony so strict discipline and religious decorum should be maintained and as well avoid such actions by which the religious sentiments of other communities may hurt,” it emphasised.
Further, it informed that all Puja committees would be given 15 volunteer cards along with two guest cards and only those card holders who are vaccinated would be permitted inside the Ghat and they are requested to take proper care of their idols till the immersion. The volunteers of every Puja Committee are requested to take charge of their truck carrying the idols till the immersion, it stated.
To avoid pollution, puja committees have been requested to avoid the use of candles and only use more eco-friendly diyas/deepaks (oil lamps) in their pandals and temples.
It further requested the puja committees to co-operate with the District Administration, Police, Dimapur Municipal
Corporation and Hindu Seva Samiti to ensure a smooth and joyous conduct of the pujas and immersion.
