.........SAMBALPUR: Their innovative ideas have been attracting huge crowds to their pandal every Ganesh Chaturthi. Every year they have been coming up with new and basically eco-friendly ideas but they are no artisans and have been into idol making for 30 years now.


If the idol was made of cloth last year, year before it was made only of Rudraksha and before that of glass beads, empty injection bottles and even Ladoos. One among the attractive pandals of Sambalpur with the tallest idol drawing huge crowd, little do people know that no subscription is collected for the puja or the idol.

The entire puja is funded by five families and organised under the banner of Natraj Club at Khetrajpur here.

This year the idol under construction measures about 35 feet and is being made out of 10,000 coconuts placed on a wooden structure. Apart from coconuts, coir is used for decoration and Ganesh Puja which is performed at the pandal for nine days has been extended to 11 days this year.

The sponsors are members of Marwari business families and they work in giving shape to the idol from 6 pm to 2 am after their business is closed for the day.

Requesting anonymity, the families said after the Puja is over work on the idol for next year begins. After a series of discussions and sharing of ideas the medium is finalised and the entire idol is meticulously worked out. The work on the idol begins a month ahead.

Terming the entire exercise as a form of devotion to Lord Ganesha, the family members ensure that the youngsters are equally involved in the entire process so that the tradition is maintained.