Durga Puja in the Capital city has been a low-key affair for the last two years owing Covid-19 pandemic. This year, with the virus burden gradually waning, the festive spirit will certainly go up a few notches as community Durga pujas will be conducted without any curbs. Devotees in large numbers are expected to hop the popular pandals and admire the beauty thereof. Orissa POST takes a close look at the top pandals and their designs…
1) Rasulgarh pandal to resemble Akshardham
The Rasulgarh Durga Puja Committee has come up with the idea of recreating the famous Delhi’s Akshardham Temple as the theme for the pandal. Committee’s general secretary Pradeep Jena said artists from Kolkata have come to construct the pandal which will be 80 ft in height and 120 ft in width.
2) Reflection of Russian Museum at Jharpada
Jharapada Durga Puja Committee has come up with the idea of recreating famous Russia’s State Hermitage Museum as the theme for the pandal. The committee’s general secretary Dharanidhar Jena said artists from Kolkata have constructed the pandal which is 50 ft in height and 150 ft in width. The idol has a height of 32 ft.
3) Bomikhal mandap to replicate Lalitha Mahal
Bomikhal Durga Puja Committee has come up with the idea of recreating the famous Mysore’s Lalitha Mahal as the theme for the pandal. The puja committee’s general secretary Ajay Kumar Pradhan said, “Lalitha Mahal is the second largest palace in Mysore. It is located near the Chamundi Hills, east of the city of Mysore in Karnataka. The palace was built in 1921 at the orders of His Highness Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore, for the exclusive stay of the Viceroy of India. Built on a raised ground, the palace was fashioned on the lines of the St Paul’s Cathedral in London and is one of the imposing structures of the Mysore city.” Pradhan said that artisans from Kolkata construct the pandal which is 75-ft high and 110-ft wide. The idol will be of 16-ft high and is being currently built.
4) Old Station Bazaar to turn holy city of Varanasi
Old Station Bazaar Puja Committee Secretary Deepak Kumar Jena said Varanasi, considered as the religious capital of Hinduism, is the holiest of all of the Indian cities, he said. “So, we tried to showcase that in our pandal with the images of Ganga ghats and Ganga Arati,” Jena added.
“We are also planning to showcase the old and traditional ways of Durga Puja. Idols on the theme of Vikram Betaal on the pandal will attract the children,” he stated. Jena informed that the total cost of putting up this pandal would be Rs 50-55 lakh.
5) Ayodhya Ram temple at Saheed Nagar
In the race for novelty and grandiloquence, the Saheed Nagar Durga Puja committee this year has come up with the idea of recreating Ayodhya Ram temple as the theme for the pandal
Sachinandan Nayak, secretary of Saheed Nagar Durga Puja committee said Ram Mandir is being built in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, at the site of Ram Janmabhoomi, which is the birthplace of Rama according to the Ramayana.
He said 60 artists from Kolkata are constructing the pandal which is 85-ft in height and 110-ft in length. The Durga idol have a height of 14-ft.
6) Neglected parents theme at Nayapalli
Instead of replicating any famous structure, the Nayapalli Durga Puja Committee has decided to showcase the plight of old parents especially mothers, who are abandoned by their children at old age homes. Naba Kishore Behera of Nayapalli Durga Puja Committee said, “This year’s theme is to showcase the condition of old parents and how they are being treated. For this, we showcase the images of several difficult situations they face during old age from their children. Artists from Kolkata have constructed the pandal which is 80-ft in height and 120-ft in health.
7) Jodhpur palace at Baramunda to pull crowd
Baramunda Durga Puja Committee has come up with the idea of recreating Jodhpur palace as the theme for the pandal. The puja committee president Ram Chandra Ransingh said, “For the last two years, people have not been able to celebrate the occasion with gaiety and fervour due to Covid-19 restrictions. However, this year we are hoping to celebrate the puja in a grand manner.
He said Jodhpur palace is one of the world’s largest private residences. The palace has 347 rooms and is the principal residence of the former Jodhpur royal family.
Ransingh said 40 artists from Kolkata have constructed the pandal which will be 65-ft in height and 110-ft in length.
