An artisan gives the final touches to an idol of the goddess Durga ahead of the Dushhera festival in New Delhi
Durga Puja this year at the Matrimandir in Safdurjung Enclave in Delhi has gone the Tibetan way with a monastery like pandal, prayer wheels, pagoda style, Tibetan frescos, paintings and sculptures.
"The main purpose of mixing Tibetan art and architecture in our theme is to show that there has been a definite influence of our Hindu deities in Tibet. This fact reflects in Tibetan Buddhist gods and goddesses Durga, Kali, Parvati, Umar, Sati, Tara, Kurukulla, Chandi, Ambika," says Debashis Saha Chairman Organising Committee, Matirmandir.
The 47-year-old puja which has a budget of Rs 20 lakh has been implemented in three months. The theme was executed by artist Ranadeep Mukherjee, who specialises in doing puja themes with the aid of 15 assistant artists from Bankura a district in West Bengal.
"The artist had extensively used paper pulp and thermocol to recreate the Indo-Tibetan cultural theme. We always try to do something different every year and for our out-of-the-box thinking we have won several awards," Saha told PTI.
A Tibetan prayer wheel panel with mantra of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of great compassion as well as pagodas, a main feature of a Tibetan monastery are the main features.
"Pagoda is a beautiful style of Tibetan monastery architecture art. Pagoda architectures were popular in Tibet between fourth and fifteenth centuries and its influence can also be seen in the architecture of Indian temples. Hence we have incorporated this feature extensively in our pandal," says Saha.
Thangkas or scroll paintings frescos and sculptures are the main attraction at the pandal.
"Even though the pandal and the decorations is Tibetan style we have given the deity an antique look this year keeping the theme in mind," says Saha.