By Ira Deshpande
For many years, in Cuttack, Durga Puja has been more than a festival, it has been the pulse of the city. The streets are lit up with beautiful lights; families dress up in new clothes to welcome everyone; the sound of music fills the streets. But this year, on a night that was to be marked by backstory, spirituality, and festivity, that pulse stopped.
On October 4, 2025, very shortly after a procession marched through Dargha Bazar, the loudspeaker sounds turned harsh. After screaming for no longer than a few minutes, altercations erupted, rocks were thrown, stores were hastily closed. The sounds of blowing conch shells and banging drums resonated and swiftly turned into a symphony of fear.
Sabitri Nayak, who has called the area home for 40 years, echoed that she was shaking inside her shop as the crowd turned to mobs and the mob grew intense. “We celebrate this festival together every year, Hindus, Muslims, everyone,” she quietly said, “I never thought I would see that here.”
By the time night came, this is what was just being cherished as a festive time turned into war mode. Police clad in riot control gear moved in to use tear and clubs to disperse the crowd. More than 20 were injured including senior officers. In order to quell the rumor of fires, the government of Odisha imposed a 36 hour curfew and closed down the internet all over the city.
The city found itself the next morning to an eerie quietness, empty roads, deserted shops, and the pungent smell of burnt wood lingered in the air. People are cautiously stepping outside and helping one another clear debris from the streets and share food with neighbours. “We don’t want blame, we just want peace,” says Imran Sheikh, a local volunteer, handing out water bottles to police officers.
As things slowly began to calm down, community leaders held a prayer together and urged everyone to remember what the festival signifies: the triumph of good over bad.
Cuttack is still healing, but beneath the ash and anxiety is something more powerful: a city’s resolute hope to rebuild trust, to ensure that devotion never leads to division again.