AGARTALA, Oct 8 (TIWN): Pomp and pageantry marked Maha Saptami as thousands of devotees thronged to puja pandals on the morning of Maha-Saptami across Udaipur, Dharmanagar, Kailashahar, Belonia, Amarpur etc on Saturday.

The usual five-day autumn carnival, shortened to a four-day affair this time according to the almanac, is the biggest annual event in this part of the world when even the newspapers shut down and roads are choked with human traffic throughout the day and night.

Since early morning, people have been thronging colossal puja pandals (marquees) where idols of the goddess and her four children are being worshipped amid much community fanfare.