BHUBANESWAR: Durga Puja preparations across the capital are in the last leg and the Bomikhal Durga Puja Samiti is set to unveil its creative masterpiece ‘Mayur Palace’, that will not only showcase India’s culture and tradition, but also raise awareness on sustainable practices and wildlife conservation.
The 75-feet-tall and 110-feet-wide pandal will have three peacock-themed decor on its top with a giant installation of the national bird in the middle.
Bomikhal Durga Puja Samiti secretary Sailendra Kumar Jena said the entire design has been inspired from chinese style of palaces, while efforts have also been made to go beyond the ordinary decorations and bring in elements that make the pandal visually appealing as well as depict the culture and heritage besides raising awareness on sustainability and conservation.
“The entire structure is being made up of eco-friendly materials, primarily bamboo. Around 40 workers from Kolkata are giving shape to the structure for the last one month. The peacock theme symbolises grace and beauty of the national bird while focusing on the culture and wildlife heritage of our country,” he added.
Vice-president Bunty Jena said around four to five truckloads of bamboo are being used to decorate the pandal. “The interior of the pandal will also wear a palace look, the idea of which has been drawn from Mahabharata and other themes,” he said. Apart from the uniquely-themed pandal, the idol of Goddess Durga and other deities will be decorated with silver jewellery.
The committee has also decided to distribute free prasad to over 3,000 people at the pandal on Ashtami. Around 60 volunteers and 40 private security guards will be deployed around the pandal for crowd management.