12-day festivity begins at Talcher

TALCHER:  Talcher town has been decked up with colourful lights and exquisitely decorated pandals to mark the beginning of the 12-day Ganesh Chaturthi. The puja here is several decades old and this year, 54 idols have been installed, five more than the last year, across Talcher town area. Member of Ganesh Puja Committee Devi Mishra said various pandals from Handidhua Chaak to Bada Bazaar have been decorated thematically and efforts are being made by all puja committees for smooth conduct of the festival. Police have made elaborate security arrangements with six platoons of armed police being deployed throughout the town. Additional SP Jyoti Prakash Mohapatra and SDPO Bana Behari Sahu are overseeing the arrangements.