Bhubaneswar: This Dussehra, devotees visiting Rasulgarh in Bhubaneswar will get a glimpse of Vatican City of Rome, as the local Durga Puja committee has recreated the iconic landmark as its pandal theme.
The massive pandal is 125 feet wide and 80 feet high. Around 30 artisans including masons and carpenters from West Bengal were engaged in its construction, which took about two months to complete.
“Rajasthani date palm leaves were dried and used along with bamboo and thermocol,” said a committee member.
The structure has been built using foam, bamboo, fibre, plywood and sunpack sheets by a team of 30 to 40 artisans from Kolkata led by chief artisan Bidyut Jana, he added.
To manage the rush, the organisers have installed 40 CCTV cameras and arranged four parking lots.”We have deployed special volunteers to help physically challenged devotees have darshan of the Goddess,” an organiser said.
Rasulgarh is famous for large-scale landmark replicas. In the past, it has recreated London’s Royal Albert Hall (2019), Delhi’s Akshardham Temple and Taiwan’s Buddha Temple.Apart from the pandal, Meena Bazaar, swings and food stalls are major attractions near the Rasulgarh Puja ground.
