Ahiritola Sarbojonin Durga Puja Committee has recreated a portion of Ahmedabad’s old city in a bid to sensitise people about heritage conservation. They say what binds Ahmedabad and north Kolkata is its old parts, heritage zones which are facing rapid destruction due to real estate.
From colourful walls to stained glass windows, the pandal looks exactly like a set out of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. There are intricate wood carvings on the pillars of the main mandap where an exquisite idol of Goddess Durga is placed.
The idol, though made with clay, looks like it has been carved out of stone! Inside the pandal, there are chai stalls, flower shops with Gujarati signage banners on top.
In a bid to give a real-life feel of a typical heritage Ahmedabad neighbourhood (known as Pol in Gujarati), the artist has created arches and hanging balconies, houses have been painted in bright colours.
One can easily spot colorful clothes lining up those balconies, as if left by residents to dry! And ofcourse, the walls of the old city are lined with Gujarati film posters.
The organisers say their endeavour is to educate the future generation about Indian heritage and the need to preserve it thus their theme this year is “Sankalpa” or a vow.
[“source=indiatoday”]