Low-key Laxmi Puja celebrations in Bengal

Kolkata, Oct 30 : The occasion of Laxmi Puja was celebrated on a low-key note in West Bengal on Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic, with devotees offering obeisance to the goddess while observing physical distance and other health protocols.

Durga Puja celebrations were also a dull affair this year as artisans, organisers and revellers were restricted due to Calcutta High Courts directive for all puja pandals to be made no-entry zones to prevent spikes of coronavirus cases.

Devotees thus preferred to stay indoors even as north Kolkatas century-old potters quarters Kumortuli, famous for its idol-making artisans, was bereft of customers."We are organising Laxmi Puja while maintaining all protocols but have not invited anyone home this year owing to Covid-19 situation.

We ensured that even the priest had sanitised himself thoroughly before he entered our home," said Sudip Roy of Kolkatas Dum Dum locality.Roy said that her family also made sure that the priest chants hymns while wearing a mask.

"Hope the pandemic situation will get over by next year and we will be able to get back to normal life once again," she added.