Shillong, Sept 21: This year’s Durga Puja is a double celebration for the Central Puja Committee (CPC) in Meghalaya.
Apart from celebrating Durga Puja, the CPC which is also celebrating its silver jubilee this year, has planned a number of programmes for the festival in a befitting manner, beginning from September 23.

In the run up to the Puja celebration begging from September 26 to 30, the CPC will organise an all faith all religion “get together of harmony” at the Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture auditorium here on September 23 at 4 pm.

Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma will attend as chief guest in the presence of heads of different religions and faiths, leaders of various political parties, ministers, MLAs and others.

The CPC is a coordinating body of all the Puja committees in the state.

Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, CPC president, Naba Bhattacharjee said that altogether 231 community Durga Puja in the state which include 64 in Greater Shillong area and 9 private (family) Durga Puja

There are 112 Community Durga Puja in Khasi Hills, 11 in Jaiñtia Hills and 107 in Garo Hills

On security issue, Naba said that as decided in the meetings held with the district administrations, all Durga Puja committees will install CCTV camera in and around their respective Puja pandals, fire extinguisher, first-aid box, garbage throwing bins and raise their own vigilance/volunteers group with photo identity card.

On immersion day, he said that the CPC will deploy more than 100 volunteers at the Immersion Ghat, Polo and on different immersion routesof Greater Shillong to assist the district administration for peaceful and incident free immersion of Durga idols.

Competitions like the Prasad Gupta Memorial Drum Beat Competition (indigenous) and SK Das Memorial Drum Beat competition (traditional) will be also organised on September 28 and 29, respectively.

As part of the jubilee celebration, the CPC will also chalked out various programmes including harmony run in October, valedictory function of Durga Puja on October 15, Christmas carol in December, food festival and photo exhibition in February 2018, debate and quiz on tradition of religious harmony in India in March 2018, traditional folk dance and song festival of South East Asia – East and Northeast India in April 2018, and international conference on religion, compassion and humanity in June 2018.