Guwahati: A wave of festive fervour swept across Guwahati on Saptami as devotees thronged puja pandals to offer prayers and join community celebrations.The city glittered with colourful lights, while festive markets and crowded streets added to the atmosphere. Puja committees organised activities for children and adults, while visitors offered prayers, partook of bhog and gathered around pandals as dhol and dhak beats filled the air, echoing an atmosphere of devotion and glee.“The puja rituals were performed on Sunday morning to mark both Saptami and Ashtami, as per the Hindu calendar. It was followed by a series of competitions organised for children in our colony. It was heartening to see the little ones participate with so much enthusiasm. After the rituals, bhog was prepared and distributed among devotees and visitors. We served bhog to nearly 3,000 people, and it was wonderful to see so many people come together to celebrate the occasion. The entire day was filled with devotion, joy and a strong sense of community,” said Rabindra Sinha Roy, secretary of the Barsapara Sarbajanin Durga Puja Committee.Saptami was also observed at the historic Bagheshwari Than in Boko on Sunday. Devotees visited the shrine throughout the day to offer flowers and prayers to Goddess Durga.The festive spirit extended across Assam, which has 9,002 puja pandals this year, compared to 8,381 in 2024.“This reflects the peace, trust and harmony that prevailed across Assam today. My heartfelt gratitude to every puja committee, volunteer and the police and public personnel working day and night to make this possible,” CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a social media post.
