Odisha Schools to Remain Closed from October 20 to 29 for Durga Puja – News18

Schools in Odisha will remain shut from October 20 to October 29 due to the Durga Puja, the state government has announced. The School and Mass Education department released a notice about the upcoming Dussehra festival, asking the District Education Officers (DEOs) and Block Education Officers (BEOs) to take the required steps related to this festival. Schools will reopen on October 30.

The Directorate of Secondary Education and the Directorate of Elementary Education have also announced that there will be Durga Puja vacations. During this time, all elementary and secondary schools in Odisha will be closed from October 20 to 29, which includes two Sundays.

Additionally, the government had announced a school holiday on October 14, due to Mahalaya. Mahalaya is a special day because it signifies the start of Durga Puja, a significant festival. People in states like Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Tripura celebrate this beginning by performing rituals dedicated to Goddess Durga. On Mahalaya, devotees offer prayers, take a dip in the Ganges river, and engage in cultural activities and other festivities to celebrate this auspicious occasion.

Mahalaya is the start of the period dedicated to Goddess Durga, known as Debi Paksha, and it falls on the last day of Pitru Paksha. This day signifies the arrival of Goddess Durga. Navratri, a nine-day festival, begins on October 15, and concludes on October 24, 2023, which is celebrated as Dussehra, the ninth day of Navratri.

Besides the scheduled school holidays in Odisha, schools and colleges in Telangana will be closed for over 10 days because of the Dasara Holidays. The state government has decided to shut down government and private educational institutions, banks, and other organizations during this period since Dussehra holds great significance in Telangana.