Durga Puja pandal to pay tribute to goldsmiths with 50kg gilded statue

As Durga Puja knocks at the door of every household in Bengal and the world over, organisers of Santosh Mitra Square Durga puja committee in Kolkata are using 50-kilogram gold sheets to adorn goddess Durga, her lion, and Mahishasura. The value of the gold used is worth Rs 20 crore and the makers expect that such a feast for the eyes is bound to allure puja revelers to the Santosh Mitra Square Puja marquee. The 13-feet tall Durga idol will be covered with sheets of pure gold from head to toe. Santosh Mitra Square is situated close to the city's famous Jewellers' hub, Bowbazar.

"This is a tribute to all the goldsmiths all over Bengal", said Sajal Ghosh, general secretary of the committee. In its 84th year of celebration, Santosh Mitra Square has come to be synonymous with special themes starting from the 'Battle of Kargil' to 'Titanic'.

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Decoration of Goddess Durga

Drawing massive footfall every year, Santosh Mitra Square is a pandal hoppers' paradise. Gold sheets weighing up to 50 kgs, will be used by creators of this idol to adorn the goddess.

"We stay in the middle of the jewellery market of the city, Bowbazar. As the markets are facing heat and people are losing interest in jewellery, we have decided to come up with this theme. The first time, some committee has come up with a unique idea like this. Earlier we had used a gold saree for Maa Durga. All of these are crafted by the hands of local artists of Bengal", said the general secretary, extremely busy in the middle of all preparations.

To be inaugurated on the 2nd of October, Sajal Ghosh said that a jewellery company was sponsoring the entire amount of gold that would be used for decorations. The name of the organization would be made public on the day of inauguration. If market reports on gold prices are to be calculated, an amount of Rs 20 crores is to be spent on it.

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Durga Puja- the most anticipated festival

Durgoutsav also is known as Durga Puja is a festival that speaks about the triumph of good over evil. For Bengalis across the globe, Durga Puja the most anticipated festival and its preparations begin months in advance. While each day has its own significance, the eighth day or Maha Ashtami is considered the most significant. The mega festival will be celebrated from October 4 to October 8, followed by the grand immersion of the idol. Celebrated for a duration of 10 days, Durga Puja runs parallel with Navratri. The festival signifies the birth of Durga with the blessings of the gods, to fight the demon king Mahishasura, who was blessed with immortality and could not be killed by any god or man, which is why a goddess had to accomplish the feat. According to folklore, Durga would take different forms to fight the demon, and finally, on the tenth day of Durga Puja, she would kill him, and everyone would bid her farewell.

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