After rain comes shine as puja begins

SHILLONG: The hill city was abuzz with revelers thronging pandals in different localities on Tuesday, which was celebrated as Maha Saptami.
The localities where pandals have come up were dazzling with decorations with lights and festoons, thermocol figurines welcoming visitors to be part of the festival. Day 1 of the puja recorded tepid footfall but roads remained congested. There was heavy deployment of police personnel at all pandals. JL Das, the general secretary of Central Puja Committee, said of the 232 puja pandals in the state, 123 are in Khasi and Jaintia Hills and 109 in Garo Hills.
After days of intermittent drizzles, the sun shone brightly on Tuesday cheering up revellers, especially youths, who were sceptical about the rain playing spoilsport during puja. However, the cold wind, which is hinting at an early arrival of winter, discouraged many to flaunt new dresses and instead wrap themselves comfortably with stylish woollens. The maximum and minimum temperatures on Tuesday were 21.4 degree Celsius and 10.2 degree Celsius, respectively.
Food stalls, dishing out an array of street food from makeshift counters which have mushroomed around several pandals, are adding to the excitement of puja.
The committee too is doing its part to multiply the fun by organising various events, like drum-beating competition. The annual S K Das Memorial Drum-Beat competitions (group and individuals) on October18 at 10.30 am at Puja Pandal of R R Colony Durga Puja Pandal, Shillong.
Like previous years, this time CPC will organise competitions among Durga Puja pandals of Greater Shillong on different categories like idols, decoration , illumination, puja souvenir,
No visible injury marks was found on the body. Relatives and witnesses were examined and they stated that there is no suspicion of any foul play but the cause of death is purely an accidental one. So, they approached the Court for exempting the body from post mortem examination. The body was later handed to the relatives for performing the last rites.