AGARTALA, Oct 23 (TIWN): Saptami puja has been observed with full devotion in Tripura.

Pomp and pageantry marked Maha Saptami - day two of the Durga Puja across Udaipur, Dharmanagar, Kailashahar, Belonia, Amarpur etc on Friday. 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, although this year crowds are less in this COVID-affected region.

The religious rituals of Maha Saptami (seventh day on the lunar calendar) began with the bathing of a banana plant in ponds. The plant is treated like a bride, wrapped in a new sari and placed next to the idol of Lord Ganesh, son of Goddess Durga. This plant is called Kalabau' (banana plant bride) - considered the wife of Ganesha.

The ritual is called 'Nabapatrika snan-o-sthapan' and many believe this practise is traced to the agrarian society of east India.  The Nabapatrika (new leaves) consists of nine banana leaves. After the ritual, special worship for Saptami started and devotees on an empty stomach thronged pandals to pray to Durga and offered her 'pushpanjali' (floral offerings to the goddess).