Preparations in last stage for Gajalaxmi Puja in Dhenkanal

With a just day left for the celebration of Odisha famous Gaja Laxmi Puja in Dhenkanal, all kinds of preparations have reached the last stage.

Dhenkanal town has already started witnessing the hustle-bustle and chaos for the annual festival. The artisans are giving their last touches on the clay image of Goddess Gajalaxmi. Work is underway to set up gates, and decorative lights near puja pandals on war footing.

As per reports, a decorative gate resembling New Victoria Palace has been set up by Ganesh Bazaar puja committee. Artisans from Cuttack have designed the attractive gate by working for one month with an expenditure of Rs10 lakh. Mahaveer puja committee will celebrate its diamond jubilee on the occasion of Gajalaxmi Puja this year. 

Puja committees of Meena Bazaar, Ganesh Bazaar, Laxmi Bazaar, Kaibalya Bazaar and Gudia Nalee will worship Goddess Gajalaxmi in silver tableaux, known as ‘chandi medha’ this year. Goddess Gajalaxmi will be worshipped in as many as 38 puja pandals this year.

“We will finish colouring the clay image of Goddess Gajalaxmi today. The Goddess will be adorned clothes and ornaments tomorrow. We are under huge pressure to complete all the work in time today,” said artisan Rakesh Muduli.

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“We don’t have enough time in our hand. All the works are being undertaken on a war footing. Goddess Gajalaxmi will be invoked on the pandal on October 16. We are hopeful that with active involvement from all the members of our committee, everything will be in place in time,” said Srikant Kumar Sahu, a senior member of the Ganesh Bazaar puja committee.