Go on a drive around Hyderabad this Dasara
The Hindu
Apprehensive about crowded places, Hyderabadis are celebrating the festival with picnics, family dinners and compact house parties
After a subdued year, there is a distinctly familiar, festive buzz in the air again as Dasara approaches. Traffic-free Tank Bund on Sundays is gearing up as stalls hawking fast food, clothes and handicrafts on the sidewalks give it the joyous vibe of a mela. In the cheery crowd, channawalas woo buyers as they compete with popular mirchi bajji stalls.
Malls brim with customers juggling multiple shopping bags as they make their last stop at the popcorn stall. People seem to be celebrating a return to normalcy with a sense of relief. However, with children yet to be vaccinated and the pandemic not yet over, people are finding safe ways to celebrate, from family dinners to long drives.
The popular puja pandals are up again, Bangiya Sanskritik Sangha, Hyderabad Bengali Samiti, Kalibari and Attapur Bengali Association. All puja pandals have restricted the number of entries to stop over crowding. There will be checks on vaccine certificates as well. The Bangiya Sanskritik Samiti is changing the venue from Keyes High school to Mahbub College in SD Road near the Secunderabad clock tower. Staggered time slots for darshan and bhog takeaways are some of the other measures adapted to reduce crowding and ensure safe celebrations this year.