Kolkata set to welcome Goddess Durga in ‘Vatican City’-themed pandal – India Today

With Durga Puja around the corner, preparations for the festival are in full swing in West Bengal’s Kolkata. The pandals of Kolkata bring new puja themes every year which are unique and innovative in their own way and devotees get to witness various themed Durga puja in the city.

Sreebhumi Sporting Club, which is known for its innovative theme every year, has announced to make ‘Vatican City’ the theme of the worship pandal for Durga Puja.

Co-incidentally, they are also celebrating the Golden Jubilee celebration of Sri Bhoomi Sporting club located at Bidhannar, Kolkata.

West Bengal | Kolkata’s Sree Bhumi Puja Pandal, has this year been designed on the theme of ‘Vatican City’ ahead of Durga Pooja festival pic.twitter.com/4TWW2RtJla

— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2022

“Shree Bhoomi Sporting Club, which is celebrating its 50th year this time, this time the theme of Pandal is Vatican City’s St. Peters Basilica,” West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Minister and Sreebhumi Sporting Club president Sujit Bose told ANI.

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60 DAYS, 100 ARTISANS

“Everyone has heard about Vatican City in Rome, but only a few lucky people have been able to see it by travelling abroad. Their wish to visit Vatican City will be fulfilled through our pandal this year,” Sujit Bose added.

The minister further added that more than 100 artisans have made this pandal together in 60 days’ time.

“It took 60 days to make this pandal. More than 100 artisans have made this pandal together. Last year we made Bruz Khalifa. All arrangements have been made for crowd management,” he told ANI.

DURGA PUJA 2022

Durga Puja will take place from October 1 through October 5, this year. With October 1 being the first day of Durga Puja and October 5, the 5^th day. Durga Puja is also known as Durgotsava. Durgotsava refers to all five day’s festivities.

The first worship of Goddess Durga in history is recorded to be in the 1500s. According to folklore, landlords, Dinajpur and Malda initiated the first Durga Puja in Bengal.Raja Kangshanarayan of Taherpur or Bhabananda Mazumdar of Nadiya organized the first sharadiya or Autumn Durga Puja in Bengal in 1606.