Pune gears up for a grander Durga Puja this year

Pune is set to witness the return of grand Durga Puja celebrations this year with various organising committees citing a notable rise in the number of pujas in the city. Inspiration for the decor has come from temples, nat mandirs and more. Let’s look at how Pune is gearing up for the celebration.

Rise in puja pandals
With almost a 15 per cent rise in the number of pujas being organised this year, you can look forward to a lot of pandal hopping. “We are organising pandal-hopping facilities on the days of pujo. The entire Bengali community in the city is looking forward to a grander celebration this year,” said Arun Chakraborty, who runs two Facebook groups for the Bengali community.

Spiritual decor takes centre stage
At the Pune Kalibari, Khadki, you can see a replica of Vrindavan’s Prem Mandir being constructed using eco-friendly material. "Artisans from West Bengal have been working non-stop for the last 60 days to construct the pandal. Sculptors from Krishnanagar are here to make the idols of Durga and Radha-Krishna," shared Anup Dutta, general secretary, Pune Kalibari. At the Agradoot Banga Samaj, Kharadi and Bangiya Kristi Parishad, Dehu Road, replicas of Belur Math are coming up simultaneously.