Durga Puja festivities begin with Shashti Puja

Amid a reverberation of Dhaks and conch shells, people soaked in the spirit of Durga Puja celebrations on Shashti (sixth day) on Wednesday. Mothers sought the blessings of Goddess Durga for their children on the day.
At the break of dawn, the festivities began at the Bengali Club with a Mahishasuramardini Strotam. Chandipath was also organised at Ramakrishna Math in the morning. At Ravindrapalli Durga Puja, Mahishasuramardini directed by Shinjini Sarkar was staged in the evening.
Rituals including – Shashthyadi Kalparambha Puja, Amantran and Adhivas were held at all puja pandals. The day also marked the ghatasthapana (invocation of the Goddess).
Women dressed in colourful sarees and men in Kurta-Pyjama offered prayers at various pandals in the city and pandal hopping began across the city.
Shrishti Das (37), a teacher, visited the Bang Bharti Pandal near Bhoothnath Market with her mother Sushmita (60) and children. “After winding up work early, we visited the pandal to enjoy and feast over a variety of delicacies. We also visited other nearby pandals,” said Das.