Buddha temple, Nepal palace to shape Durga Puja pandals this year

Artisans are busy erecting the pandal at Bomikhal Puja mandap in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Durga Puja countdown has begun and so the preparations with puja committees across the city working on astonishing themes, decorations and lighting arrangements to lure visitors.

Saheed Nagar Durga Puja Samiti is erecting a 70-ft high and 120-ft wide pandal replicating the Buddha Temple of Thailand. The committee is spending a whooping of Rs 30 lakh on the entire arrangement this year. “We are celebrating the 39th year of puja this year. Apart from cultural programmes including Bhajan Samahora, the committee has decided to host Ravan Darbar, in which nearly 60 artistes will participate, on the occasion of Ravan Podi Mahotsav. For security reasons, as many as 20 CCTV cameras will be installed near the pandal,” said committee president Sachidananda Rath.

The Nepal palace will come alive at Bomikhal Puja mandap. Artisans from Cuttack are engaged in giving final touches to the Durga idol, while those hired from Kolkata are busy fashioning the 80-ft high and 120-ft wide pandal. Besides installing 25 CCTV cameras in and around the pandal, the organisers have decided to deploy adequate number of volunteers to assist police personnel in crowd management. “Special arrangements have been made to provide wheel chairs to senior citizens and the differently-abled visiting the pandal. Security of women, children and the elderly will be our top-most priority. Prasad, including Khechudi bhog, would be served to devotees daily from Saptami to Dashami,” Bomikhal Durga Puja Samiti president P R Jena informed.

Similarly, Sarbajanina Puja Samiti at VSS Nagar has decided to shape the welcome arch on the famous Dhauli temple. The puja samiti has hired artisans from Kolkata for the idol and Jari Medha from Phulapokhari village in Baranga.
According to samiti president Artatrana Dalei, Bhajan Samaroha by eminent singer Manmath Mishra and group will be one of the major attractions for devotees on Nabami.

On the other hand, Sarbajanina Durga Puja Committee of Old AG Colony at Unit-IV is all set to celebrate its 61st year of puja with traditional fervour. Officials of Accountants General in Bhubaneswar are organising the puja here and the emphasis is usually on rituals instead of decorations. All the rituals are performed as per Bengali tradition as it was they who had started the puja. During immersion, Bengali women greet each other with sindoor, a tradition still observed by the committee.