Dwarka: Rain disrupts Durga Puja and Ram Leela preparations

Dwarka: Durga puja and Ramleela are just round the corner but pandals and Ram Leela grounds in the sub-city of Dwarka are far from ready due to the continuous rain. It’s been continuously raining in various parts of Delhi for the last two days. This has put the preparations of Durga Puja on a hault.

Due to the continuous rain for the last two days, idol making, construction of the welcome gate, stage decorations, lighting, and other work at the pandals and Ram Leela grounds of Dwarka have gotten delayed. The India Meteorological Department predicts more rain till 25-26 September, 2022 and has issued a yellow alert in Delhi. This has gotten the puja committees and Ram Leela committees in Dwarka worried.

Mukesh Sinha, President of the Association of Social and Cultural events, who is looking after the preparations of Ram Leela Ground, Sector 11, Dwarka, says, “The rameela stage work, lightings decorations and everything is running late and because of rain, the dandiya event that was scheduled on September 24, 3022, is postponed and we have now planned to organize it on September 28, 2022. Things are not going as planned. People were so excited because the festivities were going to be thins grand after two years."

“Whatever preparations we did till now are wasted because we need to re-arrange everything. The pandal work is running late, things will take place but not as we planned them. Durga maa’s devotees and we all are concerned about how everything will be completed on time”, says Jayanta Kumar Ghosh, General Secretary, Dwarka Kalibari.

The famous Sampuran Bal Ramleela of Dwarka sector 13 is also facing lots of problems because of rain. Harish Kochar, General Secretary, says “The preparations and stage rehearsals are delayed and we still have so many things left to do. If the rain will continue till tomorrow, then we have to reschedule everything. On September 25, 2022 we planned the dandiya night but if rains, then we have to shift it to September 27 or 28.”