Navratri 2021: Eco-friendly Durga Puja Pandal decorated in Mumbai with 4.5 lakh LED lights

Durga Puja or Shardiya Navratri, dedicated to nine avatars of the goddess Durga, is celebrated for nine days across the country with great pomp and circumstance. Devotees decorate huge pandals for Durga Punja and illuminate them with lights, diyas and candles at different places of the country. In an environmental-friendly initiative, over 4.5 lakh LED lights were utilised to decorate a Navaratri pandal in Mumbai. Shiv Shakti Mandal associate Pramod said they have decorated their Puja Mandal in Mumbai with 'eco-friendly' lights that are 'easy to be dismantled without any harm to the environment.'

Pramod from Shiv Shakti Mandal noted, "It will cause no harm to the environment, no pollution, no wastage, just lights. This unique, beautiful concept is inspired by Kolkata. Illuminated pandals are common in Kolkata, and this time we are trying the same concept here. They are eco-friendly and easy to be dismantled without any harm to the environment. Lakhs of bulbs have been used. In Balaji’s portrait itself, we used about 1 lakh bulbs."

Shardiya Navratri celebration across the country

Shardiya Navratri begins on the first day of Shukla Paksha in the Ashwin month and lasts nine days, during which the divine forms of Maa Durga are worshipped. However, this year's Navratri will span only eight days, beginning today and ending on October 14. The festival is observed in a variety of ways around the country. From Himachal Pradesh to West Bengal, from Punjab to Karnataka, India celebrates unity within diversity, and this is mirrored in the manner Navratri is celebrated and the goddess Durga is worshipped.

West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, and Assam — Navratri is generally celebrated in these states over the last four days, which are known as Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, and Dashami. In West Bengal, Navratri is known as Durga Puja and is one of the state's most important festivals. The city is decked out in lights and colour, with enormous pandals, larger-than-life Durga statues, and themed pandals.

Navratri is one of Gujarat's most important festivals, during which worshippers fast for nine days and honour Maa Shakti. In the evenings, an earthen jar with holes and diyas inside is kept. The diyas, also known as Garbi, are lit, and women perform aarti with them. At the same time, Tamil Nadu observes Navaratri by worshipping goddesses Durga, Saraswati, and Lakshmi for three days each. The ornamentation of the kolu — a 9-step staircase – is the most remarkable element of Tamil Nadu's celebrations.

(with inputs from ANI)

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