From Kolkata to Mumbai: Durga Puja organisers face fund crunch under Covid shadow

Just under a fortnight to go before the Durga Puja festivities begin, funds have dried up in view of the pandemic. Organisers are worried as sponsors and advertisements, the main sources of their funding for the puja, are not queuing up like pre-Covid times.

Durga Puja festivities are only days away. Covid-19 is about to turn two, and the pandemic in India in March 2020 continues to impact Durga Puja for the second year in a row. Organisers in different states are facing a fund crunch. Sponsors and advertisers are few, drying up their main source of revenue.

Covid-19 protocols for organising festivals are in place with local administration keeping a close eye on individual events. Durga Puja celebrations this year are expected to be a low-key affair. Organisers are focusing on smaller and eco-friendly idols. They are making efforts to boost their digital presence by organising live-streaming of artis and online cultural programmes.