The city of Hyderabad is getting ready for the Durga Puja celebration by local Bengalis. This year, the celebrations will have a Bengali flavor and most pandals (temporary structures) will have unique attractions. Organizers have chosen various themes to raise awareness about the environment or represent aspects of culture and history.
The themes for this year’s celebrations include Terracotta style and the Venkateshwara Swamy temple in Karnataka. The pandals are being decorated and the Durga idols are receiving their finishing touches for the six-day celebration starting from October 19.
Rajdeep Poddar, media secretary of Cyberabad Bangali Association, Miyapur, said that this year’s puja celebrations will combine traditional and contemporary styles. The theme will be Terracotta, with the idol crafted using porous soil. The pandal will showcase the rich heritage of ancient times and give people an idea of how puja used to happen in earlier times.
Dr. Chiranjit Ghosh, founder of UttaranBangiya Samiti, Narsingi, mentioned that as theme-based puja culture is growing in Hyderabad, they have planned to celebrate puja in a grand manner. They will follow all traditional rituals and this year’s theme will be on re-creating Shobhabazar Rajbari, a royal palace located in Kolkata.
Krishnendu Roy, one of the organizers from Utsab Cultural Association, Gachibowli, said that their pandal always has an innovative touch. This year, they have chosen to decorate everything in clay, including the goddess’ saree and ornaments. The entire pandal will also be made of clay, emphasizing the importance of being eco-friendly and connected to one’s roots.
Bangiya Sanskritik Sangha in Secunderabad is celebrating its 55th year and has fashioned its pandal after the Venkateshwara Swamy temple in Karnataka. The major attraction of their puja will be the ten women drummers known as dakhis.
Overall, the Durga Puja celebrations in Hyderabad are set to be a cultural extravaganza with unique themes and attractions at each pandal.
