All are sitting cross fingered. They all hope, the weather will remain as the dawn showed and it will not rain in the afternoon as the city gets ready for the much hyped second immersion carnival. The carnival’s main point is road stretching in front of City Centre where the VIPs and judges with press and others will be present on dais and Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha will open the carnival by lighting a lamp. About 50 city clubs , mostly big budget clubs will take part in the carnival with their Pratima and members. Each of them is expected to come out with thematic processions.
All preparations for the carnival on Friday afternoon –starting from 5 pm- are already in place as the several departments led by Information and Cultural Affairs and Agartala Municipal Corporation. ICA minister Sushanta Chowdhury and Mayor Dipak Majumdar had several high power meetings and also personally reviewed the preparations on spot.
“Everything – right from security to stage to planning of the carnival processions- is done. Now we can only hope that it does not rain. If it rains all our planning will be jeopardized”, said an ICA official.
Last time the carnival with Durga Pratima was held in 2019. After that du to Covid pandemic no such event did take place. This year since the Puja days were all seriously affected due to rains and people could not fully enjoy, the government authorities and the puja organizers are particularly focused in making at least the immersion carnival a grand extravaganza.
“We are all praying that rains do not disrupt the carnival. Hopefully Maa Durga will respond to our prayers”, said a puja organizer.
A six-member panel will select the ‘best ones’ under different categories from the participating clubs – later the best ones will be awarded. A panel already visited puja pandals to identify the best theme, pandal decoration and illumination etc.
City father Dipak Majumder who also visited the carnival preparations said, enthusiasm among the participating clubs as well as people are very high.
“If weather remains bright and dry people of the state will witness an unprecedented extravaganza this time Organizers and workers are busy finishing construction works of a temporary stage in front of the City Centre and lightening works”, he said.
“Adequate arrangements have been made at the immersion ghat for speedy and safe immersion. Cranes have been placed and around 90 labourers will assist in the immersion of the idols”, the AMC Mayor said.
A senior ICA official said, several watch towers have been put in place and live streaming of the carnival would be aired from the venue.
