CUTTACK: Ganesh idols are growing taller and fancier with every passing year due to the competition among the organisers in the city. While different Puja Committees are adding silver ornaments, gorgeous decoration and huge welcome arches, Srikhetra Nagar Puja Committee at Tinigharia decided to come up with a 50 feet high gigantic Ganesh.
Celebrating its 52nd year of Ganesh Puja, Srikhetra’s idol of is said to be the tallest among all idols in the city. Earlier, Jagruti Club - Chauliaganj, Golden Club of Tinigharia and Binapani Club of Chauliaganj had installed idols measuring 30 to 32 feet hight idols of Lord Ganesh at their respective puja mandaps.
“Instead of giving importance to outer decoration, our puja committee members unanimously decided to celebrate Ganesh Puja festival with a total budget of `5 lakh and installing a gigantic and eye catching idol of the elephant God,” said Srikhetra Nagar Puja Committee president Rakesh Swain. A sum of `3.5 lakh is being spent on construction of the idol.
A huge Ganesh calls for an equally sizable vahan (divine vehicle). The idol will be accompanied by a six feet high mouse, which has also been constructed to adorn the big altar along with the gigantic idol of Lord Ganesh, said Swain. The idol will be open for 15 days, starting Chaturthi. As many as 10 artisans led by eminent artist Gopal Sahu of Paramhans have been engaged for the work from the first week of August.
“We have started colouring the idol made of straw, bamboo and clay and working overtime to make it ready by time,” said Sahu.
In yet another noble initiative, the Puja Committee has decided not to organise immersion ceremony and arrange ‘Prasad’ for 2000 people daily besides organising cultural programmes and making a 50 kg ladoo from sesame seeds for the gigantic Ganesh idol, informed Srikhetra Nagar Puja Committee Secretary Sarada Prasad Parija.