BHUBANESWAR

Saheed Nagar Durga Puja Samiti

Background: Started in 1977, it is one of the most visited Pujas in the city. The committee has been felicitating Odia sportspersons since 2007
Big Draw: For the first time, a backdrop made of 2.5 quintals of silver has been made. Twenty-five artisans from a jewellery brand have worked on the 20ft high and 18ft wide backdrop. The pandal is a replica of Gujarat’s Swaminarayan Temple

Budget: While the backdrop costs the committee around Rs 1 crore, the budget for other expenses is around Rs 20 lakh. The committee has also donated Rs 50,000 to 
army welfare fund

Old Station Bazaar Durga Puja Samiti

Background: In its 61st year, the organisers have created 3D replicas of the Seven Wonders of the World. They were 
the first Puja committee to introduce the chandi medha tradition in the capital a few years ago
Big Draw: The pandal gate is a replica of the palace shown in the Tamil blockbuster Bahubali, while scenes from the 
film has been recreated inside the pandal. Artist Rajendra Muduli has made the idol, while the backdrop made of 750 grams of gold and 8kg of silver is an added attraction
Budget: Around Rs 40 lakh

Rasulgarh Durga Puja Committee

Background: The Puja, which is in its 24th year, is known for Ravan podi. But from last year, the event has been cancelled due to environmental hazards. The money set aside for the event is now being donated to the underprivileged
Big Draw: A glass palace made of bangles, glasses and mirrors. The committee had hired around 50 artisans from Bengal to build the 80ft high and 120ft wide structure. The 20ft idol is set to be a crowd puller. The idea is to promote smart waste management 
Budget: Rs 35 lakh

Jharpada Durga Puja Samiti

Background: The Puja is only six-year-old, but every time the pandal is a major attraction for its grandeur. Last year, the 85ft high and 120ft wide pandal was a replica of a Madrid palace. 
Big Draw: Sixty craftsmen from Bengal have created a 85ft high and 120ft wide Maya Mahal or an imaginary palace. Apart from the structure, theme lighting is added attraction. The organisers has built a ramp inside the pandal to make darshan easier for the differently-abled and elderly
Budget: Rs 40 lakh

Nayapalli Durga Puja Samiti

Background: The pandal of Nayapalli Puja, which is in its 28th year, is famous for the range of cultural programmes that it hosts every year. The Ramleela episodes staged during the evenings gather thousands of devotees
Big Draw: A tableau made of 60 per cent copper and palm leaves. The 80ft high and 120ft wide pandal has been modelled 
on the Janaki Mandir at Janakpur in Mithila region of Nepal. Around 70 workers and artisans from Odisha and Bengal worked for more than two months to complete the structure
Budget: Rs 30 lakh

CUTTACK

Balu Bazar Puja Mandap

Background: Legend has it that worshipping of mrinmayee murti (clay idol) of Goddess Durga started at a thatched house after consecration of the idol, reportedly in the presence of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. “An ancestor of Akshya Kumar Banerjee, the present priest of the puja mandap, who accompanied the saint during his visit to Cuttack in 1512, stayed behind and followed it up with a full-fledged Durga Puja in 1513 in the thatched house, which is now the Binod Bihari temple and our Puja mandap,” said committee president Suryakanta Sangneria. “In 1890, the business community of Balu Bazar (then the prime business centre in the city) together with the residents took up the responsibility and converted it into community Puja. But till now, the priest prepares the idol with colours made of natural ingredients including Kendu,” he said. The Goddess is known as “Elder Sister”

Big draw: The Durga idol has a silver filigree backdrop (introduced in 2002) made of 3.52 quintals of silver worth nearly Rs 1.5 crore
Budget: Rs 5 lakh

Chandni Chhak Puja Mandap

Background: In 1817, a Bengali family (Duttas) started Durga Puja in a thatched house at the Asta Sambhu temple. Subsequently, it received patronage of the royal family of Darpani and was shifted to the present puja mandap in the vicinity of the temple. “By end of 19th century, it became a community puja with the support of people of 10 localities,” said committee president Pratap Kishore Singh. “In the 1940s, the Darpani royal family handed over the responsibility of the Puja to the local people,” he said. The goddess here is known as “Younger Sister.” Earlier, due to the royal link, the idols of all other puja mandaps in Cuttack were brought in a procession to this mandap before being taken for immersion to Purighat. The custom is still being followed by around 40 of the old Puja mandaps.
Big draw: Silver filigree backdrop made of 3.5 quintals of silver worth Rs 1.5 crore (introduced in 2003) for the idol and offering of five quintals of fish to the goddess on Navami evening and distribution
Budget: Rs 17 lakh

Choudhury Puja Mandap

Background: The Choudhury Bazar Panchayat Committee started this Puja in 1872. But the mandap became a star attraction for visitors when it pioneered use of traditional decorative craft — tarkashi — associated with silver as base metal for the idol’s backdrop. “Our puja mandap came up with the first silver filigree backdrop by using 250kg of the metal in 1955,” said Puja committee president Debashis Ray. The mandap continued to have the lone chandi medha in the city till the unique style was picked up in 1991 by another mandap and over 20 have followed since. In 2002, it set a new trend by coming up with a crown of pure gold for the goddess. In 2008, it started the process of converting the silver filigree backdrop into tarkashi of gold. “So far, five of the 30-odd silver segments of the chandi medha have been replaced by using nearly 5.5kg of gold and an OM signia of 2kg provided at the crest of the chandi medha. Nearly 15.5kg of gold have also been used for the crown, necklace and other jewelleries of the goddess,” Ray said.

Big draw: Distribution of dahi pakhala (curd water rice) and janhi poda (ridge gourd roast) for about 4,000 people on Dashami, apart from silver filigree backdrop worth over Rs 1 crore and use of 23kg of gold valued at Rs 5.75 crore
Budget: Rs 15 lakh

Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee and Badrika Nath Das