Patna: The sound of temple bells, the fragrance of marigolds and the sight of colourful ‘chunris’ and puja essentials are beginning to lend Patna a festive hue as the city prepares to welcome Shardiya Navaratra from Sunday. Temples are being decorated, pandal workers are racing to add the finishing touches, and markets are seeing last-minute purchases ahead of Kalash Sthapna and the worship of Maa Shailputri, the first form of Goddess Durga.From households preparing for nine days of worship to devotees planning visits to prominent shrines, preparations are gathering pace across the city. The festival begins on Oct 11 with the installation of the sacred ‘kalash’, marking the start of Navaratri rituals. The celebrations will end with ‘Vijayadashami’ falling on Oct 21.At temples, cleaning, decoration and preparations for special prayers are nearing completion. Priests and temple committees are arranging puja materials and preparing worship areas to accommodate devotees expected to arrive from early morning. The first day will be dedicated to Maa Shailputri, who is worshipped with offerings of flowers, fruits and other traditional items.According to Sayan Kunal, secretary of Mahavir Mandir, the prayer service will begin at 9pm on Sunday. “All the arrangements have been made accordingly,” he said.One of the most distinctive traditions associated with the festival will once again draw attention at Naulakha Durga Mandir near New Secretariat, where 69-year-old Nageshwar Baba will start his decades-old offering to the Goddess by balancing 21 bronze pitchers filled with water on his chest. He will observe a nirjala vrat, or a fast without water, throughout the nine days.Vijay Kumar Yadav, organiser of the temple’s Navratri celebrations, said the ritual was a long-standing tradition and an important part of the shrine’s observances. “The 108th Nageshwar Baba will observe a strict fast while bearing the weight of these pitchers for nine days,” he told TOI.Another major centre of devotion is Akhand Vindhyavasini Mandir in a narrow lane near Golghar, where preparations are being made for the expected influx of devotees. The temple is renowned for its akhand jyot, with lamps fuelled by ghee and mustard oil that have been burning continuously for more than a century. The tradition dates back to 1914, when Vishwanath Tiwari brought a sacred flame from Kamakhya temple in Assam and established it at the shrine.Vijay Shankar Giri, head priest of Badi Patan Devi Mandir, Sadikpur, said the temple committee will follow the old tradition for kalash sthapna and the prayer service. “The ceremonial bath and sringar of the goddess,” he added.The festive mood is also spreading through the city’s markets. Shops and roadside stalls are stocking red chunris, coconuts, kalash, earthen pots, incense sticks, camphor, roli, flowers and other puja essentials. Items required for fasting, including fruits and other vrat-friendly food products, are also in demand as families prepare for the first day.Colourful decorations and festive displays are adding to the atmosphere, while shoppers are making final purchases for home worship and temple visits. Shopkeepers are hoping for brisk business as devotees complete their preparations ahead of Sunday morning’s rituals.Mukesh Sah, a shopkeeper at Machhuatoli, said the demand was not restricted to ritual items, with people also buying decorative material for homes and temples. “There is a festive atmosphere in the market. People are buying flowers, garlands, lights and decorative items along with the puja samagri,” he said.Meanwhile, Durga Puja committees are working against the clock to finish pandal decorations, install lighting and organise facilities for visitors. Patna has around 1,500 Durga Puja pandals this year, including nearly 100 large installations, according to the fire services department. The department has warned organisers to address safety shortcomings and comply with fire-safety guidelines before the festivities begin.Crowd management, safe electrical connections and clear emergency exits are among the key arrangements being checked at major venues. Patna Municipal Corporation is also preparing for the festive rush, with sanitation measures and designated immersion facilities planned to manage waste and ensure orderly idol immersion after the celebrations.As the city enters the final stretch of preparations, its temples, markets and pandals are taking on a festive appearance. For devotees, however, the celebrations begin with the quiet observance of Kalash Sthapna and prayers to Maa Shailputri, setting the tone for nine days of devotion, fasting and worship.
