Tallest durga idol, priests from bengal, at andheri mandal

In a tiny lane near Andheri Link Road, the stage has been set, lights fixed and seating arrangements made for the Sarbojanik Durga Puja Mahotsav, which is being organised for the third year in a row.

In a tiny lane near Andheri Link Road, the stage has been set, lights fixed and seating arrangements made for the Sarbojanik Durga Puja Mahotsav, which is being organised for the third year in a row.

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The five-day festivities will be held from October 1 to 5.

The mandal, which claims to have the city's tallest Durga idol (measuring 22 feet) will also, for the first time, host 11 priests from Bengal, who have been trained at the Banaras Hindu University.

The pandits will conduct the Sati Chandipaath, a ritual part of the festival in Bengal. "This will give the city-based Bengalis a glimpse of the actual festivities in Bengal, in Bengal," said organiser Krishnendu Sen.

"We have received donations from our members and will not compromise on any element of the festival," said Sen. Actor Rituparna Sengupta, who was the ambassador for the celebrations last year, will once again perform a traditional dance during the festivities.

Though potholes affected the Ganpati visarjan procession this year, organisers of this mandal are not worried about carting the idol to the Versova beach on the last day of the festivities. "We have taken necessary precautions to beat the potholes and uneven roads on immersion day," said Sen.