This year Sreebhumi Sporting club in Kolkata has decorated their pandal in the theme of Bahubali. The palace of Mahishmati, the ancient kingdom portrayed in the Bahubali series, has been recreated by the club.
With Bahubali 2 being a bumper hit, the puja organisers hope their theme will attract large number of pandal hoppers. They say, Durga is a goddess of power and so there is a synergy between Durga Puja and the valorous Bahubali.
The pandal has a massive gate where an elephant stands atop pedestals with its trunk raised. Climbing up its head along the trunk will be Amarendra Bahubali, as seen in the sequel’s posters and the opening sequence. While the elephant will be in LED, the Bahubali figure will be of fibre. Visitors will make their way through the feet of the elephant.
Eight more Bahubali-themed light pillars will guide them to the pandal. Paul has chosen four scenes that he wants to portray -Sivagami raising new-born Mahendra above water as she floats along the mountain stream, Amarendra and Devsena practising archery side by side, Mahendra carrying the gigantic Sivalinga and Mahendra standing astride two on rushing bulls.
“This year we made our pandal based on Bahubali II Maheshmati Samrajya theme,” says Alokta Dutta, the organiser. “The theme is designed by Romeo of Kolkata, the idol is made by Pradip Rudra Paland the lighting is done by Chandannagar’s Babu Pal.”
“The jewelleries are worth Rs. 10 crore,” she adds. “Senco Gold has sponsored the jewellery of the goddess this year. On the first day Smt. Mamata Banarjee came to visit. We have our inauguration today, and today we will have Jhulan Goswami from Women’s Cricket Team and the priest from Puri. The estimated cost of this pandal is almost Rs. 1.5 crore.”
