DAYS of bustle and hectic shopping culminated in a resplendent Diwali evening on Sunday, with people decorating their houses with strings of lights, shopkeepers placing diyas to invoke blessings, and crackers going off intermittently to round off the celebrations in customary fashion. PM Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with security personnel in freshly Naxal-free Chhattisgarh’s Bastar. “I am going to salute our brave security personnel for their sacrifices, selfless service and unwavering devotion to the nation,” he said. Modi, as well as Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, on Sunday called on President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and exchanged Diwali greetings with her. Thousands of lamps illuminated the iconic Clock Tower, popularly known as Ghanta Ghar, at Srinagar's Lal Chowk as tourists and locals celebrated Diwali. A thick grey haze swallowed the skyline, reduced visibility on roads and brought back irritation in the eyes and throat due to alarmingly high pollution levels on Monday, after firecrackers were burst. Meanwhile Kali puja was celebrated amid festive fervour across West Bengal, with temples witnessing large gatherings of devotees, pandals drawing crowds and neighbourhoods illuminated with decorative lights. Thousands of devotees queued up at prominent shrines, including Dakshineswar Temple, Kalighat Temple and Tarapith, to offer prayers to Goddess Kali. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari greeted people on the occasion. “May Maa Kali bless you with the strength and courage to face all the challenges and overcome the hurdles of life,” he said. Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also extended greetings to the people on the occasion, besides sharing photos of Kali Puja at her home.