Prayagraj, 05 Sept (HS): The traditional Khunti Puja ceremony was performed

with due religious rituals and devotion on Saturday under the aegis of the Shri

Katra Barwari Durga Puja Committee, marking the formal commencement of

preparations for the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations.

The sacred ceremony was held in the Masonic Temple premises, where prayers

and worship were conducted in accordance with Vedic rituals. Special prayers

were offered for the smooth and successful completion of the festivities, along

with the commencement of the construction of the Puja pandal and the idol of

Goddess Durga.

Abhinn Varshney, General Secretary of the Puja Committee, said that with the

completion of Khunti Puja, preparations to welcome Maa Durga have officially

begun. He said that every tradition associated with Durga Puja, from Khunti

Puja to the immersion of the idol, holds its own unique spiritual and cultural

significance.

He further said that the beginning of the idol-making process is considered

an auspicious occasion and is also regarded as the symbolic announcement of the

arrival of Maa Durga. Those present on the occasion included Srimanto Banerjee,

Avik Saha, Rajesh Srivastava, Tarun Banerjee, Saurabh Basu, Chandrakesh Mishra,

Vishnu Dev, Ayan Saha, Rajan Chaturvedi, Alok Das, and several other members of

the committee.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi