Nerul group recreates Lord Krishna's home for Ma Durga

To make this year's Durga Puja celebrations extra special, the Amra Prabasi Cultural Association (APCA) in Nerul will be celebrating it in a special ay and on a grander scale.

Serene: The organisation has built a replica of the ISKCON temple and keeping in mind the blue and white theme, the idol of Goddess Durga is white

To commemorate its 21st year of celebrating the festival, the APCA has constructed a replica of the ISKCON (Indian Society for Krishna Consciousness) temple to house the idol of Goddess Durga. At 70-feet, the structure is almost an exact replica of the ISKCON temple with matching interiors and exteriors.

Keeping the theme of blue and white in mind, the association installed a white idol of Goddess Durga. In addition, pictures of various other deities have been installed inside the temple. And in an attempt to draw in larger crowds, a mini amusement park has also been set up for children.

The celebrations are being held at Ramleela Grounds in Sector 12 on a 100-acre plot. The association is also providing visitors with parking space to prevent traffic jams on the arterial roads.

The association has also organised cultural performances by well-known singers such as Sadhna Sargam and dancer Sharmishta Chatterjee and her group. Also, Salma Ghosh from the Dagarvani Dhrupad Gharana would be performing today at 7 pm.

Safe and secure
As the association expects up to 8,000 devotees to visit the pandal daily, APCA Secretary Rathin Paul said a total of 350 volunteers have been pressed into action to manage the crowds during the festive period. "In addition, we have also hired a private security firm and installed metal detectors and CCTV cameras for security purposes."

The Bombay Oriya Women's Association is also celebrating Durga Puja at Utkarsha Hall in Kharghar, which is open to all. Entertainment programmes such as dance and drama, among others, are a part of celebration.u00a0