The Covid-19 pandemic has put a spin to the age-old festive cry of “Maa aschhe (the Mother goddess is coming)” in Midnapore town.

The Rabindranagar Durgotsav Committee, among the largest pandal organisers in the town with an average footfall of up to a lakh, responded to this year’s pandemic with their innovative “Thakbe tumi ghore, thakur jabe dwaare (You will stay home, the goddess will go to your doorstep)” campaign.

The Durgotsav committee, working with a curtailed budget of Rs 6 lakh this year, a drop of Rs 14 lakh from normal years, will not only have their regular pandal in Rabindranagar locality, but also host a smaller idol atop a flat-bed truck for a mobile “darshan” across the town’s 25 wards. The mobile “darshan” will give residents the opportunity to see the goddess from their verandas and balconies, maintaining social distancing amid the pandemic.

“We are deeply appreciative of this initiative. In addition to addressing pandemic protocol, this attempt will also satisfy so many senior citizens of the town who are otherwise unable to leave their homes,” said district magistrate Rashmi Kamal at the inauguration of the pandal on Thursday evening. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated this Durga Puja, along with many others in south Bengal districts, over videoconference. Kamal and the West Midnapore superintendent of police, Dinesh Kumar were physically present at the pandal.

Sources said the Rabindranagar pandal was arguably the most popular Durga Puja in Midnapore town. Last year, in its 50th year, the club won the Biswa Bangla Shera Puja award among the 100 pujas held in Midnapore town.

Club secretary Subhajit Mandal said the prime goal of this year was to maintain social distancing. “So we came up with a door-to-door darshan,” Mandal said, explaining that a tenth of their total budget would go towards fuel and vehicular expenditure. He added that because of the pandemic their budget had to be brought down from the usual Rs 20 lakh. “But we want to ensure safe and memorable celebrations,” added Mandal, a pathologist at Belda hospital who has been working on the frontlines of efforts against Covid-19 since March.

Club members explained that along with a miniature idol, the truck bed would have room for a priest who would stop at a designated juncture of each locality and conduct a puja with residents’ floral offerings (pushpanjali). The truck is set to make rounds from Panchami up to the final day of Dashami from 10am to 5pm.

Midnapore residents have welcomed the concept. “We have not been leaving home much since March, and our fears over Covid have increased anticipating possible Puja crowds. That’s why we are elated to hear about Rabindranagar club's noble initiative,” said Abani Dey, 68, a retired state electricity board employee.