Comprehensive Deliberation on Puja Preparations at the General Meeting of the Mansa Vishahari Maharani Central Puja Committee; New Executive Body Formed, Timing of Procession and Immersion Determined

Comprehensive Deliberation on Puja Preparations at the General Meeting of the Mansa Vishahari Maharani Central Puja Committee; New Executive Body Formed, Timing of Procession and Immersion Determined

Bhagalpur, Hindustan Representative: Administrative and social preparations have begun on a war footing for Bihula-Vishahari Puja, the sacred festival symbolizing the ancient folk culture, faith, and mythological traditions of the Anga region. In this connection, an important and grand general meeting-cum-session of the Mansa Vishahari Maharani Central Puja Committee was organized on Sunday on the premises of a marriage hall located at Laluchak Bhatta Road in Bhagalpur. The meeting was presided over by newly elected central committee president Bhola Kumar Mandal, while the program was inaugurated by former mayor Dr. Veena Yadav by lighting a ceremonial lamp and offering floral tributes to the portrait of Goddess Mansa. A large number of presidents, medhpatis, and senior office-bearers of puja committees from various regions of Bhagalpur and Banka districts participated in this high-level meeting, where deep deliberations were held regarding the successful conduct of the upcoming puja, security arrangements, route charts, and various infrastructural issues.

Formation of the New Executive Body and Unanimous Selection of Office-Bearers

At the outset of the meeting, the old committee was formally dissolved, following which the process of forming a new executive body was completed unanimously.

Selection to Key Posts: Representatives of various puja committees from Bhagalpur and Banka districts reposed their trust in Bhola Kumar Mandal, electing him once again as the president of the central committee to run this major religious event of the Anga region smoothly.

Additionally, Pradeep Kumar was entrusted with the responsibility of executive president, Shashi Shankar Rai as general secretary, and Bachpan/Bablu Bhagat as treasurer. The newly elected office-bearers were welcomed with floral garlands and thunderous slogans.

Detailed Schedule for Procession, Idol Installation, and Immersion Fixed

During the meeting, the central committee issued clear guidelines regarding the timing and rules for this year's puja and procession. Informing the members of all participating committees present at the meeting, President Bhola Kumar Mandal stated that administrative coordination will ensure this year's procession and immersion are conducted in an extremely disciplined manner.

Departure of Parbatty Idol: According to the scheduled program, the main idol of Goddess Vishahari originating from Parbatty will reach Station Chowk by 3:45 PM.

Timing of the Grand Procession: Upon reaching Station Chowk, the traditional and grand procession will formally commence at precisely 4:00 PM, featuring tableaux from various akharas and committees across the city.

Time Limit for Immersion: The immersion time for all idols has been fixed for no later than 12:00 midnight to avert any potential inconvenience or disorder.

Problems Raised by Various Puja Committees and Key Demands

During the meeting, representatives of puja committees from different corners of the district openly placed the ground realities of their respective areas and demanded prompt resolutions:

Road and Traffic Issues: The Ishwar Nagar and Sastu Bhagat puja committees vociferously demanded leveling and repairing the road from Bausi Bridge to Gurhatta Chowk to ensure smooth transit for devotees and tableaux.

Sanitation and Waterlogging: Members of the Pasi Tola and Ishakchak committees prominently raised issues concerning stagnant dirty water in drains and garbage collection. Meanwhile, committees from Hasanगंज (Hasanganj), Kutubganj, and Mundichak demanded fixing hazardous dangling electric wires on roads, pruning obstructing tree branches, and constructing temporary artificial ponds and separate immersion pits for large idols.

Security and Additional Forces: The Maheshpur committee demanded the deployment of additional police forces and women personnel to crack down on antisocial elements during the mela.

Cultural Awareness and Special Initiatives: Lighting Lamps in Every Home and the Sindoor Plant

Rather than confining this year's Vishahari Puja solely to religious rituals, it is being transformed into a medium for social awareness.

Lighting a Lamp in Every Home: The central committee has issued a unique appeal that on the auspicious occasion of Vishahari Puja this year, at least one lamp must be lit in the name of Sati Bihula-Vishahari in every home across Bhagalpur and its vicinity, extending this festival of cultural consciousness and illumination to every household.

Awareness Against Chemical Sindoor: To shield society from the adverse effects of chemical sindoor (vermilion) and preserve traditional heritage, a resolution was also adopted to plant sindoor trees at prominent locations.

Prominent Presence at the Meeting

Making this important meeting a success, Bhagwan Yadav, Om Prakash Tiwari, Niranjan Chandravanshi, Pramod Chaudhary, Raja Mandal, Kailash Yadav, Shyamal Kishore Mishra, Dinesh Mandal, Rajeev Sharma, Pinki Bagoria, Manju Devi, Manoj Kumar, Naveen Kumar Chintu, Chhanguri Sharma, along with hundreds of esteemed individuals and workers from various puja committees, were in attendance.

This general meeting organized by the Mansa Vishahari Maharani Central Puja Committee testifies that preparations for this historical folk festival in Bhagalpur have now entered their final phase. The formation of the new executive body and demands for timely administrative redressal of various grievances have rendered this event even more robust. It is anticipated that through mutual coordination between the administration and the committee, this year's Bihula-Vishahari Puja will conclude with immense grandeur, peace, and historical significance.