A slice of Calcutta’s Raj Bhavan has come up in Kandivali East, in the western suburbs of Mumbai. The pandal of the Thakur Village Bengali Association Durga Puja is modelled on the Governor’s House in Calcutta — the former seat of British imperial power in India.

The Mumbai puja turned 20 this year.

“This year marks a special milestone as we celebrate two decades of bringing the spirit of Durga Puja to life in the heart of Mumbai. In our 20th year, we pay tribute to our roots with a uniquely nostalgic theme — the Governor’s House of Bengal,” the organisers said.

Chinmoy Roy, 50, association president, was driving past the Raj Bhavan earlier this year during a trip to his hometown when the idea struck him. “Last year, our pandal was themed on the Tagores’ Jorasanko home. We try to follow a theme aligned to Bengal,” said Roy, an IT professional who has been settled in Mumbai for two decades. Roy’s mother and brother live in New Barrackpore.

The Kandivali East pandal, on the Evershine Club Ground, has an iron skeleton covered with a fibre exterior. Oil paintings add to the elegant decor of the pandal, which is witnessing a steady stream of visitors, said Roy.

Kandivali East has about 1,000 Bengali families. The puja essentials are managed by a team of 100-odd women.

The idol is made by Amit Pal, a Mumbai-based artist known for crafting idols for top pujas in the city, including those hosted by the families of actors Kajol and Rani Mukerji.

A series of cultural programmes have been lined up at Kandivali. The bhog of khichuri, labra, pulao, and Bengali desserts is a major draw, organisers said.