Picture used for representative purpose only.
Dussehra/Durga Puja celebrations are on in full swing in Dwarka, and the sub-city is witnessing several changes in the way pandals and idols are being made and decorated.
In Dakshinayan society, Sector 4, TK Banik, convenor of the puja committee, says, “This year the pandals are styled on traditional temples. Last year, we had the Buddhist pagoda as the theme of the pandal. This year we have focused on patriotism and harmony, as they are the need of the hour. The idols have been made in conventional ekchala style, in which all the deities are mounted on a single frame, and been made by an artist from Bengal. All idols are hollow and decorated with shola, made from pressing the dried, spongy plant matter of the shola stem.”
The arrangements by Dwarka Bangia Samaj, a cultural group, in Sector 6 include the biggest pandal this year in Dwarka. BK Barua, general secretary of Dwarka Bangia Samaj, said, “Our pandal can accommodate 10,000 people. It has no theme but the entry gate depicts the rising sun, and is very beautiful.”
In Sector 4, Aaikotan, a puja committee, is celebrating the 15th year of its puja celebrations. Sanjeev Majumdar, secretary of Aaikotan, said, “This year the idols are a mix of conventional and modern art. We have used clay and cotton in the idols. The clothes are multicoloured and natural. The theme is nationalism. We have used the tricolour in the pandal in exactly the same way as it is used in our national flag.”
In Sector 22, the puja is being organised by Deepanwita, a group consisting of members of the Bengali community mainly from sectors 8, 9, 22 and 23. Speaking on the theme of pandals and idols, Samit Chaterjee, a member of the puja committee, said, “Our pandal is based on the theme of the traditional Hindu temple. We have used brown and off-white colours on the pandal. The idols, too, are sculpted in the traditional style. This year we have used copper-coloured ornaments for our idols.”
