People are bracing up for the festivities with prayers that the Goddess Durga would slay the evil and lift the gloom around. Beautiful pandals decked with diverse designs and themes have come up in all corners of West Bengal and Bihar, besides other states.

Bengalis, known for the Durga Pujo festivities and accompanying feasts are preparing pandals in Kolkata in grand traditions even while the mood appears somewhat dampened due to the Covid pandemic.

The much-awaited and auspicious festival of Durga Puja is about to begin from October 22, 2020. The biggest festival of Bengalis across the globe coincides with 9-day long Navratri festivity which is dedicated to Maa Durga and her different avatars for each day of the Navratra.

Celebrations this year are low-key because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, which has affected people worldwide. Social distancing, wearing masks, gloves and proper sanitisation are the need of the hour to keep the virus at bay. State governments on their part have issued specific guidelines for Durga Puja, Navratri and Ram Lila festivals.

The five-day festival of Durga Puja usually begins six days after Mahalya, but this year it is different due to mala mass-lunar month having two moons. This year Mahalya, which is the beginning of the Devi Paksha and end of the Pitru Paksha, took place on September 17 and Durga Puja starts from October 22.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join the Durga Puja celebrations in Bengal as he inaugurates puja pandals in Kolkata via video conferencing today, while the BJP has made preparations to broadcast his greetings message at all the polling booths. The state goes to polls next year.

“Sisters and brothers of West Bengal, tomorrow, on the auspicious day of Maa Durga PujoÂs Maha Sashti, I would join the divine celebrations via video conferencing and shall also be extending my greetings to everyone,”. PM Narendra Modi tweeted on Wednesday.

While Swarup Prasad Ghosh kick-starts celebrations, Dona Ganguly will perform. Summit and Souren will join the event and thereafter Babul Supriyo will be presenting Rabindra Sangeet. PMÂs speech will begin at noon.

The BJP Bengal unit in-charge Kailash Vijayvarghiye said, ÂDurga Puja is the essence of Bengal. People have instilled their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party in Lok Sabha Elections. We are acknowledging the PeopleÂs mandate and what better occasion than seeking blessings of Maa Durga also.”