India prepares for major Durga Puja and Navratri celebrations

Preparations for major Indian festivals are underway across several regions. In Rourkela, artisans are constructing elaborate Durga Puja pandals, including a 45-foot structure inspired by Lord Jagannath’s Suna Besha in Sector 7 and an 80-foot tribute to Dantewada’s Rani Mahal in Sector 9.

In Bhubaneswar, the Municipal Corporation is preparing for 195 Durga Puja pandals, focusing on crowd management, traffic regulation, and safety. Meanwhile, in Surat, Navratri organizers have secured insurance coverage between ₹225 crore and ₹250 crore to mitigate risks such as accidents, fire, and property damage.

Cultural celebrations are also seeing musical and technological updates. Singer Ishani Dave has released the devotional Garba track ‘Ghor Andhari’ to celebrate Navratri. In Mumbai, a humanoid robot performing Garba has gained viral attention as a futuristic addition to the pre-festival festivities.