Happy Durga Pujo! It may be the first time in a very long period that Bengalis will not be able to do the most exciting part of the pujo aka pandal hopping just like Gujaratis are not able to hold garba dandiya festivals, amid the coronavirus pandemic. While it may seem depressing BUT you must know that it is for people's safety at large. This Durga pujo you might be deprived of the fuchka stalls, addabazi, food hopping and pandal selfies, but that doesn't mean that you cannot get into the festive spirit. Alternate options to celebrate Durga Puja are being provided by the organisers where you can do virtual pandal hopping online. And the idea of virtual pandal-hopping is not a bad one.

Most pandal organisations are opting for virtual mukh darshan to maintain the guidelines. The Calcutta High Court has directed all Durga puja pandals in the state to be made into "no-entry zones" and almost all the pandals in West Bengal will not allow entry of people. Only organizers can enter the pandals that too with immense safety precaution. Calcutta High Court decision declared Durga Puja pandals in the state as "no entry zones" in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. A bench of the High Court allowed 'dhakis' to be present outside the no-entry zone in each pandal and said that 15 persons will be allowed in smaller pandals while 60 people will be allowed for larger pandals.

The court was hearing a petition over setting up of pandals during the Durga Puja. So you might want to opt for Virtual Pandal Hopping. Let's know more about it.

What Is Virtual Pandal Hopping?

With surging cases of COVID-19, several pandal committees in West Bengal have made decided to arrange virtual "darshan" aka virtual pandal hopping. This basically means that the physical entry into the pandals will be barred, however, one can have virtual visits via YouTube live streams.  At least two big-ticket pujas in the city aka Santosh Mitra Square and Debdaru Fatak have announced that outsiders won’t be allowed this time, but insisted that people log on to their YouTube channels to catch a glimpse of the Durga idol, and the rituals.

Also, did you know that a Durga puja committee in Kolkata, Prafulla Kanak Welfare Association, has chosen the hardships faced by migrant labourers during COVID-induced lockdown as the theme for its puja pandal in Kolkata. The committee has also installed a statue of actor Sonu Sood to honour his services to the labourers during the lockdown.

And while we are at it, you might want to check out Happy Durga Puja 2020 wishes,  messages, Maa Durga HD images, greetings and GIFs are perfect for sending your wishes to the family member and friends, who at the moment may not be there with you, but their blessings sure are. So, check out our latest collection of Happy Durga Puja 2020 wishes in Bengali, WhatsApp stickers, Maa Durga HD images, messages perfect for Instagram and Facebook captions and GIFs to celebrate Pujo.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 22, 2020 05:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).