Grand pandals welcome devotees as Jharkhand delves into Durga Puja festivities

Ranchi, Sep 28 (PTI) Devotees have started thronging grand Durga Puja pandals set up across Jharkhand with the commencement of the five-day festivities in the eastern state.

Around 160 Durga Puja pandals, worth a total of Rs 150 crore, have been set up in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi, with the most expensive being that of the Ram Lalla Durga Puja committee, which has erected a replica of Bhuj's Shree Swaminarayan temple on Zilla School Ground here.

"Our budget is around Rs 1 crore this year, with the pandal itself costing around Rs 90 lakh," Ram Lalla Durga Puja committee president Ashok Choudhary told PTI.

Not far behind was Bakri Bazaar's Bhartiya Yuvak Sangh Durga Puja committee, which spent around Rs 90 lakh on its marquee based on Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia, besides idols.

Rahul Agarwal, president of the committee, said, "This year, we built our biggest pandal since we began organising the puja. The grand marquee is spread over 15,000 sq ft and is over 130 feet high." Kokar Durga Puja committee, with its theme 'Rajasthani heritage', has based the exterior of the pandal on Hawa Mahal and the interior on Sheesh Mahal.

Committee president Vikash Das said that the 70-feet-high and 60-feet-wide marquee is worth Rs 45 lakh and the Durga idol is crafted in the Rajasthani style.

Ratu Road's R R Sporting Club has themed its pandal on 'Vatican City', spending around Rs 85 lakh on it.

Committee president Rahul Yadav said, "Devotees are making a beeline to witness the 12-foot grand idol of Maa Bhagwati. The pandal is adorned with magnificent lightning. We want visitors to get immersed in the grandeur of their world heritage site through our dazzling lighting, murals, and decor." The Ranchi railway station Durga Puja pandal replicates the famous Balaji temple of Tirupati. The marquee, which is around 75-feet-high, costs around Rs 50 lakh.

Committee president Munchun Rai said, "We have installed the 15-foot Durga idol at a height of around 50 feet from the ground. Also, we have recreated the sacred ambience by installing over 200 statues crafted in the traditional southern style." In Agora, the Shri Ravan Dahan committee has crafted a striking Gurukul-themed puja pandal this year.

Committee president Pankaj Shau said, "This is our 59th year of Durga Puja celebrations. This year, we created the pandal using 21,000 books at an expenditure of around Rs 38 lakh. The objective is to showcase the ancient knowledge system to devotees." The Mahashakti Durga Puja Committee in Booty More has showcased the Pahalgam attack in its pandal this year.

Committee secretary Arvind Shah said, "Over 50 workers gave shape to the Rs 70-lakh pandal on an area of 50,000 square feet." Similar magnificent pandals have been erected in Dhanbad and Jamshedpur cities. PTI RPS ACD