Patna: Setting a glowing example of communal harmony, a Durga Puja pandal modelled after the revered Shree Jagannath Temple of Odisha’s Puri has been constructed at Itwarpur in Patna. Built at an estimated budget of ₹1.2 crore, the temporary architectural marvel stands as a testament to shared artistic devotion, brought to life by over 100 skilled Muslim artisans from neighbouring Jharkhand.
The grand pandal, standing approximately 121 feet tall and 110–120 feet wide, has been constructed using around 10,000 bamboo poles, along with plywood, fabric coverings and detailed decorative elements that evoke the Odisha temple’s distinctive architecture, domes, pillars and overall grandeur. A roughly 16-foot-tall idol of Goddess Durga forms the focal point inside, complemented by representations of Lord Jagannath.
Around 80 artisans worked for nearly two months to complete the structure.
The construction team was led by master craftsman Imamuddin Ansari from Madhupur in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district, along with Sairfuddin and a team involving Kolkata-based artisans such as Bappi Barik. Artisans from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh also contributed to the build, idol work and finishing.
Ansari has been designing major thematic Puja pandals in Itwarpur for nine consecutive years. Over the last decade, his team has recreated landmark structures across the region, including replicas of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir, Tirupati Balaji, and a Bahubali-themed structure. “We are artists, and for artists, there is no discrimination. Temples and mosques are all equal to us,” Ansari shared, emphasising that the collaborative initiative reflects the core Indian ethos of brotherhood across all communities.
In addition to traditional craftsmanship, this year’s setup features high-tech installations to handle huge crowds expected from across Patna and nearby districts. Organisers have integrated a state-of-the-art 3D projection mapping display designed to project changing visual patterns and dynamic colours directly onto the temple facade—a first-of-its-kind feature for a Durga Puja pandal in Bihar, according to reports.