Janmashtami celebrated in Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar wished people on the occasion. 

The ISKCON temples at the global headquarters at Mayapur in Nadia district were brightly illuminated and pujas were held since morning but entry of devotees like past year was regulated considering the COVID-19 situation. 

At the ISKCON headquarters, security persons ensured that people entering the temple were sanitised, wore masks, maintained appropriate distance inside the temple hall and stood in queues,  spokesperson Subrata Das said. The major attraction this year was the offering of close to 400 "Kalashas" (pitchers) to Lord Krishna by the devotees, he said. Daylong puja was also conducted at the Albert Road compound of ISKCON Kolkata. 

The Birla temple in the city as well as other Radha Krishna temples here and in the districts were decorated, but the huge crowd seen till 2019 was missing. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted "Best wishes to all on the auspicious occasion of #Janmashtami." 

"May Lord Krishna bless everyone with happiness, good health and prosperity." In a tweet in Hindi, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar also wished all on the pious occasion of Janmastami. 

Several big time Durga puja committees in the city like Ekdalia Evergreen, Vivekananda Sporting, Bhawanipore 75 Pally performed ‘khuti puja', a customary ritual before putting up pandals to initiate Durga Puja festivities. 

"This is an auspicious date to start our puja preparations," heavyweight TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee said on behalf of Ekdalia Evergreen Puja Committee in south Kolkata.