Cuttack: Chhatra Bazar Puja Committee in the Silver City here is all set to have a silver tableau for the upcoming Durga puja as part of its centenary celebrations. Similarly, Ganga Mandir Durga Puja Committee in the city is now designing a silver tableau for Dussehra to observe its silver jubilee, sources said.
With the entry of two new silver tableaux, the Millennium City will witness altogether 27 puja pandals having filigree works during this Dussehra.
According to locals, Chhatra Bazar Puja Committee had started the puja with clay idols of Hara-Parvati (Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Parvati) during Dussehra in 1919. However, the puja committee has been worshiping the clay idol of Goddess Durga since 2000.
According to sources, Chhatra Bazar Puja Committee is now designing a tableau using around 150 kg silver. Filigree artisan Nandakishore Pal and Pradip Kumar Prusti have been entrusted with the task to design the tableau. “More than 90 per cent of its work has been completed. The remaining will be completed soon,” said a source in the puja panel.
The locals claimed that Chhatra Bazar Puja Committee is the trendsetter with regard to organising orchestra programmes at the puja pandal. “Our puja committee had organised an orchestra programme around 70 years ago. The Habib Melody troupe of Cuttack and Jyoti Band of Berhampur have been performing near our pandal for the last 50 years,” said a member of Chhatra Bazar Puja Committee.
In order to observe its centenary year, the puja panel has booked Sitaram Band of Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh to participate in the immersion festival. Besides, the committee has planned to erect a huge gate near its pandal.
This part, the committee will hold orchestra programmes for five days to entertain people.
“This is our centenary year. We have planned a grand immersion festival for this Dussehra. Members of our committee and local youths have decided to make this immersion festival a liquor-free event,” said Chhatra Bazar Puja Committee president Devendra Nath Sahu.
Sources, meanwhile, claimed that Ganga Mandir Durga Puja Committee has arranged around 190 kg silver to design its tableau for the upcoming festival.
Filigree artisans Shashikant Singh, Sanatan Dash, Bhagaban Dash, Rabindra Kumar Dash and Ranjan Kumar Panda are now busy designing the silver tableau for the panel.
“We are ready to celebrate this year’s Durga puja with a silver tableau on the pandal. Members of our puja committee have been working hard to ensure fool-proof arrangements for the festival,” said Uma Shankar Dash, president of the puja panel.
Office bearers of the puja committee claimed that they have been organising Dussehra since 1993. The committee has decided to celebrate its silver jubilee in a grand manner.
“We will install several LED gates near our pandal to celebrate the silver jubilee. The silver tableau would be the main attraction for people,” said Ganga Mandir Durga Puja Committee member Sashikant Sarangi.
Puja committee secretary Pradip Kumar Singh said several bands from Odisha and other states will perform near the pandal to mark the silver jubilee celebrations. “We will organise bhajan programmes and orchestra shows near our pandal. Cultural troupes from Berhampur, Dhenkanal and other parts of the state are also scheduled to perform on the occasion,” Singh said.