Cuttack, Sept. 25: Puja committees here are going all out to bag laurels for the city's best puja and most of them have chosen silver filigree backdrops, locally known as chandi medhas, to realise their aim.
The number of Puja committees using silver filigree backdrops to decorate their idols is going up every year.
Cuttack Mahanagar Shanti Committee secretary Bhikari Das said that out of the city's 156 puja committees, 23 were using chandi medha to decorate the idols, with Ganesh Ghat Puja Committee being the newest entrant.
The figure was just 14 in 2011, which went up to 22 last year with puja committees in Pithapur, Khatbin Sahi, Mangalabag and Budhithakurani joining the list. The number is expected to go up to 26 next year, said Das.
The Ganesh Ghat Puja Committee is setting up a gigantic backdrop made from nearly 1.30 quintals of silver for its Hara-Parvati idol.
Puja committee secretary Laxmidhar Samal said: "We have come up with the chandi medha for our panchamukhi Hara-Parvati idol, which we have been worshipping since 1995, after years of hard work."
Samal said they spent nearly Rs 70 lakh on the backdrop, which is being fashioned in the form of Lord Shiva's panchamukhi (five-faced) avatar.
The competition among Puja committees has also come as great news for silver filigree artisans, who are working round the clock to put final touches to the chandi medhas in pandals across the city.
The artisans are polishing and fitting the filigree pieces together despite the inclement weather that has affected other puja preparations.
"It took us nearly nine months to complete the work on the backdrop," said Nirakar Das, the chief artisan for Ganesh Ghat Puja Committee.
Das said, in the absence of employment opportunities, the puja committees offered a source of livelihood to the silver filigree artisans.
Chauliaganj Puja Committee secretary Niranjan Sahu told The Telegraph that each puja committee was working overtime to complete the preparations after incessant rain delayed the process.
"We are running behind schedule, and hope the weather will improve before the festivities in October," said Sahu.
