As the nation prepares to celebrate Sharadiya Navratri and welcome Goddess Durga, Ranchi witnesses the construction of unique Durga Puja pandals based on diverse themes. The city is known for its exceptional and grand Durga Puja celebrations. One such pandal, constructed by the Bharatiya Yuvak Sangh in Bakri Bazaar, Ranchi, is inspired by the renowned Angkor Wat temple of Cambodia.
Other grand pandals are also being built across Ranchi. The Panch Mandir Durga Puja Samiti in Harmu has created a replica of the Prem Mandir in Vrindavan. However, the Durga Puja committee on Ratu Road in Ranchi has built a pandal resembling a church in Vatican City, Italy, which has sparked controversy even before its official opening.
The controversy stems from the design of the Durga Puja pandal, which replicates the church in Vatican City, Italy. Vinod Bansal, the national spokesperson of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), expressed his objections on social media platform X. His post included videos of the pandal’s interior and exterior, raising concerns about the alleged manipulation of Hindu faith and religious sentiments. He alleged that the Durga Puja pandal, under the guidance of JMM leader Vicky Yadav, has become a site for religious conversion. The RR Sporting Club on Ratu Road, Ranchi, has seemingly recreated the entire Vatican City for the installation of the Goddess Durga’s idol.
The design, resembling the Vatican City church, has also raised concerns. The interior of the pandal showcases images of Catholic religious leaders and depicts people holding crosses, the symbol of Christianity. The presence of these features triggered the controversy, and VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal shared a video of the Durga Puja pandal on social media, voicing his disapproval.
The RR Sporting Club has spent roughly 70 lakh rupees on the construction of the Durga Puja pandal on Ratu Road, Ranchi, modeled after the church in Vatican City, Italy. This structure became a topic of debate among devotees before it was even inaugurated.
Following the controversy over the design of the Durga Puja pandal, the RR Durga Puja Samiti removed the elements that Hindu organizations had objected to, aiming to prevent any offense to the devotion of the worshipers during the Durga Puja.