Durga Puja is around the corner and the Capital is gearing up to celebrate the festival. This time around, themes such as 100 years of Delhi and ancient temples are being explored, as the pandals get made and the decoration work begins. The samitis at Greater Kailash Part 2 have planned to use Lutyen's Delhi as the theme for the pandal. “What better way than the puja to celebrate the 100th year of Delhi as the national capital. The pandal will be a replica of the historical structure,” says a puja committee member.

The oldest and the largest pandal of the Capital, organised by the Delhi Durga Puja Committee, better known as the Kashmere Gate Puja Committee, will be decorating the pandal as a grand temple of the Goddess.“This is the most sought after pandal in the city. Like last year, this year too we are planning to set up a traditional temple-like pandal with an elaborate pratima (idol) of the Goddess,” says Shanti Majumder of the Shiv Mandir Committee.

The committees organising the pandal in Chittranjan Park will also be using the theme of a temple in a remote village. “We are keeping the idol simple yet very traditional to go with the theme of the pandal,” says Shubhashish Dutta, a member of the Milan Puja Samiti. “Most of the samitis in the city this year have decided on simple and traditional themes,” says Madan Kumar, owner of Aristrocrat Caterers and Tent Decorators, who are setting up puja pandals at Greater Kailash Part 2, Karol Bagh, D Block CR Park and Greater Kailash Part 1.

Puja elsewhere...

In Guwahati, the pandal will be inspired by the Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption protests.
A puja samiti in Powai in Mumbai will be making the pandal based on the famous Sripuram Golden Temple.
This year, the famous pandals in Kolkata will be based on the themes like Germany, Kashmir and even planets and asteroids.