While the festival of Durga Puja might mean different things to different people, puja pandals remain the undisputed pivot around which the festival is centred.
Like every year, this year too, the various Durga Puja pandals decorated across the city were worth a dekko. One such decoration was at the Hawa Mahal themed pandal put up by Bhairabhtala Sarbajanin Durgotsav Samiti in Kahilipara area of the city.
The pandal, that took two months and a budget of over Rs 25 lakhs to make, was inspired by the pink city of Jaipur. From the entry of the Bhairabhtala lane to the interiors of the Hawa Mahal, everything was in shades of pink and gave a very Rajasthani feel. It was one of the most innovative and modern pujas the city witnessed this year.
The whole set up of the pandal was conceptualised by Satyajit Mandal with assistance from Jayanta Krishna Das. It was made by artisans from SM Set Designers, a Guwahati-based company. Its idol, also widely appreciated, was made by Ramu Paul.
“The set composition was done in a single colour tone (pink) in order to present the mood of unity and peace. We thought of replicating the Hawa Mahal so that people could get a feel of Jaipur right here in Guwahati,” said Satyajit Mandal, art director of the puja pandal.
The intricately designed pandal gained massive popularity when people started posting pictures and information about it on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Apart from individuals, various media houses of the state also posted pictures and videos of the 52-feet tall pandal.