Ramgarh: Faith in Goddess Durga runs so deep at the nearly 70-year-old Durga temple at Mandu Chatti on the Ramgarh-Hazaribag stretch of NH-33 that devotees have already booked their turns to offer Daak and sponsor idol construction decades in advance, with Daak slots filled up till 2052.According to the Sarvajanik Durga Puja Samiti, Mandu Chatti, only one devotee each year gets the privilege of offering Daak (the decoration and adornment of the Goddess) and sponsoring the idol’s construction. The immense popularity of the tradition has resulted in a waiting period of over 25 years for devotees.Records maintained by the committee show that idol construction bookings have been made up to 2039, while registrations for Daak offerings are complete until 2052. In many cases, if a devotee passes away before his or her turn arrives, the responsibility is carried forward by family members.For the upcoming years, Ravindra Kumar Gupta has booked the Daak for 2026, followed by Rakesh Kumar (Rajesh) in 2027, Jawahar Saw in 2028 and Amarendra Kumar Gupta in 2029. For idol construction, bookings have been made in the names of Ravindra Gupta (2026), Gorelal Pandit (2027), Amarendra Kumar Gupta (2028) and Rajendra Prasad (2029), among others.Amarendra Kumar Gupta, who will get his turn in 2029, said, “The tradition of advance booking for Daak and idol construction has been followed for several decades. The expenditure for offering Daak, ranging between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000, is borne entirely by the devotee.”A committee member said the long waiting list reflected the unwavering faith of devotees and the growing popularity of Durga Puja in the region. During Navratri, devotees also offer bhog daily from the first day of festivities. Committee members said the practice helps preserve religious traditions while fostering social harmony and community bonding across generations.
