Pandals propagate organ donation

KANPUR: To create awareness among masses about the importance of organ donation, a Durga Puja pandal, a replica of Jagannath temple, has come up at Vidya Mandir premises in Kidwai Nagar.

Talking to TOI, Ujjwal Mukherjee, an office-bearer of Sri Sri Shardiye Durga Puja Committee said, “This year we have put posters and banners in the camp carrying the message ‘Donate body and eyes for a noble cause'”.

Talking about the design and the shape of the pandal, he said that this year the pandal would look like Jagannath temple of Puri. Several competitions and events would also be organised during the festival. “This year the golden colour ‘murti'(idol) of Maa Durga is about 12 feet in height. In place of paints, natural colours have been used in the preparation so that the water of the river or any other water body does not get polluted during ‘visarjan’, (immersion)”, he pointed out.

The puja pandal in Ratan Lal Nagar is in the shape of a north Indian church. AK Som, secretary of Sri Sri Sarbojanin Durga Committee said that thermocol has been used to beautify the pandal. The idol of Maa Durga has been made of clay and adored with jewellery in red colour shade. It has been decided to do ‘soil immersion’ of Maa Durga idol. “We do not have any fuss regarding immersion of the idol in Ganga. If we do not save Ganga today, we will destory our next generations. Our environment does allow immersion of idols in the river”, said AK Som.

Several cultural porgrammes and competitions, especially for women and children, would be organised on the occasion. The main attractions would be ‘Sankh Dhwani’ and ‘Dhonochi Aarti’ competitions, balloon race etc. Puja will commence from Tuesday and all rituals and traditions would be performed by a purohit from Bengal.

[Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Kanpur/Pandals-propagate-organ-donation/articleshow/44083245.cms]