Coal Belt wears a bridal look

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TALCHER: They invoke the Goddess for safety in the mines. Durga puja has a special significance for the denizens of Talcher with every colliery colony celebrating the festivity. The entire coal belt is decked up in bridal finery with as many as 10 pandals erected for the occasion. “People here have been observing the festival since the coal mining operations started in early 1950s. Officials and workers were predominantly from Bengal and it is they who started the tradition here,” said veteran trade union leader Prafulla Pradhan. Beautiful pandals dot both the new and old colonies including Dera, Deulbera, Balanda, Jagannath, Lingaraj and Ananta here. In some of the old colonies, artisans from West Bengal are engaged for making the Durga idols. The puja celebrations include operas and melodies for the entertainment of the workers and their families. People from other parts of the district throng Talcher to soak in the festive spirit, said Pradhan. “We contribute a day’s salary for Durga puja celebration. It is the much-awaited break from intense work pressure when we get to spend some time with our family,” said Pratap Biswal, a coal worker at Balanda.