The guidelines for Durga Puja issued by the Jharkhand government have evoked mixed reactions from the organisers.

They are happy that the government at least allowed them to organise Durga Puja this year but at the same time, they are disheartened that some of the restrictions are too harsh.

The guidelines issued by the home and disaster management department under the signature of chief secretary Sukhdev Singh on October 1 said the government “considered it important to strike a balance” between conducting rituals traditionally and ensuring that there

are no congregations which could lead to spread of Covid-19 infection.

According to the guidelines, there will be specially erected small pandals “that shall be covered on all sides in a way to prevent any public view of the idols” where rituals will be performed “without public participation”.

The pandals will have no theme and decoration with lights, the guidelines said. It said the idols would be less than 4 feet in height and only seven persons, including the organisersand priests, can be present at any given time who will also wear masks and maintain a distance ofsix feet.

There will also be no distribution of bhog or prasad, no public address system and no function of any kind, the guidelines said, adding that violators would be prosecuted under the provisions of the law.

“Most of us had apprehended the pandemic could continue and decided to make the puja a low-key affair this year,” said Munchun Rai, coordinator of Ranchi Mahanagar Durga Puja Samiti, the apex body of community pujas in the state capital. He said that they would follow the guidelines.

“But there is a resentment about the height of the idols as some committees may have built them a little higher,” he said. Rai said they would approach the administration to offer leeway on the height as it was difficult to replace idols at this stage.

The goddess is normally seen astride a lion and thereis also a frame behind the idol, Rai pointed out. It was difficult to restrict the height within 4 feet, he added.

He, however, said that very few idols could cross that height.

“We are glad that the puja has been allowed to be organised,” said Rambabu Singh, general secretary of Jamshedpur Durga Puja Kendriya Samiti. He said that they would adhere to the guidelines.

“We shall also follow the guidelines and will do away with mandatory pushpanjali (a floral offering), besides cancelling the traditional sindoor khela (Vijaya Dashami ritual) this year,” said Partha Sarathi Sengupta, an organiser of Hirapur

Hari Mandir Sharadiyo Sammilani, a popular puja destination in Dhanbad.

He said they were making a small idol standing at around 4 feet only.

Most of the people, however, opined they could not imagine a community Durga Puja with just seven persons participating in it while making it out of bounds for all others.