GUWAHATI: Sunshine through the day on Monday, October 7 brought relief to the Durga idol makers in Guwahati as they lifted the plastic wraps to start giving the finishing touches.
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Incessant rain for three days had forced them to cover the idols in layers of plastic to prevent damage, and pray for a let-up in the rain.
“We thank Maa Durga for the sunshine. We were worried with the rain showing no signs of going away for the past three days,” said Pradip Paul, an idol maker at Bishnupur.
Durga Puja commences on Wednesday with Sasthi and goes on till Saturday before it culminates in the immersion.
“Most buyers will start coming in from tomorrow (Tuesday) to pick up their orders, so the rain has stopped just in the nick of time… We will have to burn the midnight oil today to complete the orders. Hope the Rain God has mercy on us for the next two days …,” he said.
Idol makers apart, the rain had also come in the way of repair works of roads, which can now resume. The government has asked that all work be completed by October 9.
Even business had suffered as shopkeepers complained of reduced footfall just ahead of Durga Puja because of the rain.
Now, with the equilibrium restored, the spring in the step of puja revelers is set to return
Yet, the fear of the rain returning will not go away as the weatherman has predicted rain and thunderstorm on October 9 and 10.