BARIPADA: Thousands of devotees thronged the majestic pandals housing large idols of goddess Durga that have come up in every part of Baripada on the occasion of Navami on Wednesday. Adding a colourful ambience to the festive atmosphere are the massive light gates and arrangements. A total of 29 pandals have come up in Baripada town.
Puja committees have left no stone unturned to ensure that devotees get a hassle-free darshan of the Mother Goddess. The pandal of Tulasichoura Puja Committee showcases the Chatrapati Shivaji terminus of Mumbai. As many as 30 sculptors led by artisan Chandan Mandal have erected the pandal. “It took us one month and 15 days to construct the pandal,” said Mandal, who belongs to West Bengal, adding that an amount of `30 lakh has been spent on the pandal.
Girish Chandra Das, president of the puja committee, said the puja at Tulashichoura has been continuing for the last 34 years. “Every year, our pandal and Meena Bazaar are the special attractions here,” he said.
At Palobani, the 60 ft high pandal has been designed on lines of a Budha temple in Vietnam. Designed by local artisans, an amount of `11 lakh has been spent on the structure. President of the Durga Puja committee here, Kishore Kumar Daspattanayak said work on the pandal started a month back.