Prashant Singh, Janjgir-Champa. Sri Sri Durga Utsav Seva Samiti of Naila, famous for Wigham Durga Pandal in the state, is preparing to do something new this time too. This year, a pandal is being constructed on the lines of Arun Dev Temple in Thailand, on which light and sound effects will be displayed on the lines of Burj Khalifa. A 35 feet high idol of Maa Durga studded with gold, silver, diamond and pearl will be installed inside the pandal. Also read: Tirupati Laddu Controversy: The rule for the use of ghee is written on the walls of Tirupati temple, apart from Sanskrit, it is mentioned in Telugu and Tamil.
This year too, preparations for Shardiya Navratri are going on in full swing in the district, apart from the Devi temples, preparations for the installation of the idol of Maa Durga are going on in full swing in villages and urban areas. The famous Sri Sri Durga Utsav Seva Samiti of Naila is also working day and night in this preparation. The festival of Navratri is starting from 3rd October, but Mata’s court in Naila will open on 6th October. After this, immersion will be done on the second day of Dussehra.
Statue being made from Kolkata clay
Shambhu Paliwal, member of Sri Sri Durga Seva Utsav Committee, said that the idol of Maa Durga is being installed for 41 years, lakhs of people come from different districts to see it. For this year’s Navratri festival, a grand 160 feet high and 150 feet wide pandal is being built for the devotees on the lines of Thailand’s world famous peace symbol Arun Dev Temple. Which is being constructed by 35 to 40 artisans from Bengal for the last 40 days.
Mother will ride on the golden chariot of five lions
Shambhu told that the idol of Maa Durga will be installed in the pandal in a golden chariot of five lions, whose height will be 35 feet. There will be 12 to 15 feet tall statues of lions. Maa Durga will be dressed in a beautiful red saree with gold, silver, diamond and pearl studded stone jewellery. This work is being executed by a team of 12 members of Pradeep Dewangan of Bhatgaon. Natural colors are being used in the construction of the idol, while clay has been brought from Kolkata to make the face of Goddess Durga.
Light and sound will also be the center of attraction
This time, attractive lighting will be installed in the pandal on the lines of Burj Khalifa, for which the team of Kolkata’s famous Riyaz Ahmed has been called. The attraction of the pandal will be grand at night. Sound system has been brought from the fort. Navratri festival is going to start on 3rd October, from the very first day devotees can come to worship Goddess Durga. The cost of the idol of Maa Durga, pandal, lighting, sound system and other decorations will be more than Rs 1 crore. Earlier, Mother’s worship was done at a small place near the railway station, now a pandal is being built in front of Agrasen Bhawan.
1000 people can have darshan simultaneously inside the pandal.
The inside length of the pandal is 100 feet and width is 84 feet, in which more than 15 hundred devotees can have darshan of Maa Durga at a time. A team of trained health workers will be deployed with ambulances outside the pandal to address the health related complaints of the devotees. Along with this, police personnel will be put on duty for security. Apart from this, the traffic outline is being prepared.
