From Ayodhya's Ram temple to Jharkhand's culture, theme-based Durga Puja pandals amaze visitors

Ranchi: From Ayodhya's Ram temple to Jharkhand's rich art and culture, community Durga Pujas in Ranchi have left visitors spellbound with varied themes.

A pandal depicting Ayodhya's Ram temple on Ranchi's Old Vidhan Sabha Ground is a major crowd-puller this Durga Puja, with visitors queuing up to have a glimpse of the grand temple's replica.

Sri Ramlala puja committee general secretary Kunal Ajmani said that many devotees might not have gotten the opportunity to visit Ayodhya to have a glimpse of Lord Ram so far.

"We tried to fulfil their desire through a replica of the Ram temple here," he said.

The pandal is around 170 feet in height and 120 feet in width and a 19-feet idol of Goddess Durga has been installed in it.

Around Rs 1 crore has been spent on the pandal, puja committee office-bearers said.

Adrika Bhattacharjee, a pandal hopper, said that the marquee looked exactly like Ram temple.

"I believe it would be one of the best pandals in the city as well as the state," she said.

Organisers of RR Sporting Club Durga Puja depicted the beauty of Jharkhand's artistic heritage by decorating the pandal with Sohrai paintings.

Sohrai is a tribal traditional art based on themes of nature such as forest, animals and people and they are mostly done by women.

Vickey Yadav, a member of the committee, said that vibrant depiction of Jharkhand's art and culture was pulling crowds. He said that artisans from West Bengal have given shape to the pandal.

Sri Sri Bandhgari Durga Puja Committee has come up with a unique theme of bird conservation.

Birds' nests have been created using bamboo straws and pots and models of various birds have been displayed.

The office bearers of the committee said that they tried to give a message of bird conservation at a time when birds' shelters – trees -- are being destroyed in cities in the name of development.

The OCC Bangla Durga Puja Committee, which is celebrating the 54th year of the puja, erected a replica of a royal palace of Rajasthan and over 30 artisans from Kolkata have given a grand look to it, with the marquee witnessing huge footfall over the last two days.

Another ancient palace of Rajasthan depicted by Bharatiya Yuvak Sangh at Bakri Bazar has also emerged as a major attraction among pandal hoppers. Ranchi Railway Durga Puja Committee depicted Coimbatore's Adiyogi statue through its pandal.

Meanwhile, the Ranchi district administration said elaborate arrangements for security and traffic management have been made for the festival period.

Additional security personnel have been deployed and CCTV cameras installed at strategic locations. Besides, drone cameras have also been deployed at prominent pandals, a senior police officer said.

In a bid to maintain law and order during Durga Puja and deal with anti-social elements, a mock drill was conducted at Police Line, Kanke Road on Wednesday.

Entry of heavy vehicles to Ranchi city has been prohibited for 20 hours, from 8 am to 4 am the next day till October 13, while traffic has been diverted along various routes in the city during the puja period.