Badagada Village Durga Puja to showcase Vrindavan's Prem Mandir-style welcome gate, silver-crowned idols and four nights of cultural extravaganza

Bhubaneswar (By Abhishek Mohanty): The Badagada Village Sarbajanina Durga Puja Committee moving ahead for its 41st annual Durga Puja celebration with grand plans that blend tradition, devotion and spectacle. Started in 1985, the puja has become one of the village’s most anticipated events.

This year, artisans are sculpting clay idols of Goddess Durga and other deities on site, including the imposing Mahishasuramardini. A major highlight will be a huge welcome gate designed as a replica of Vrindavan’s famous Prem Mandir.

Crafted by artisans from Salepur in Cuttack district, the gate will rise 60 feet high and 80 feet wide, setting the stage for the celebrations.

The idols, adorned with silver crowns and ornaments as in previous years, will feature a 20-foot-tall main deity atop a 25-foot pedestal. Cultural performances will light up the evenings from Saptami to Dashami, including music shows by well-known artists such as Arpita Choudhury, Humane Sagar, Ira Mohanty and Ruku Suna.

The festival’s estimated budget is ₹35 lakh, with Rs 10 lakh allocated for tents, Rs 10.5 lakh for lighting and sound, Rs 6.5 lakh for rituals and another Rs 6.5 lakh for the immersion ceremony.

Traditional instruments will accompany daily rituals. On Mahashtami, a special Sandhi Puja is expected to draw over 1,000 women in traditional attire, with thousands of devotees offering lamps.

Speaking about the arrangements, Committee President Pratap Kumar Jena said, “On Mahashtami, about 1,000 people are served pana bhoga, and on Navami, prasad is distributed to more than 1,000 devotees — a tradition that strengthens community bonds.” The committee will also honour four top-performing high school students with certificates and cash awards. Secretary Ashok Kumar Patra added, “This year’s celebrations will feature a grand ‘Rabana Podi’ (burning of Rabana effigy) on Dashami, a vibrant immersion procession, and extensive lighting across the village square.

The event will be strictly no-drugs and no-plastic, with eight CCTV cameras and 50 volunteers ensuring the safety of visitors.” .