Patna: Preparations for Durga Puja 2026 have intensified at Maa Vindhyavasini Club in Sector F of PC Colony, Kankarbagh, where organisers are planning a nine-foot-tall idol of Goddess Durga made entirely of makhana, or fox nuts. The installation is expected to be one of the main attractions at the pandal this year.
The club will also install a 15-foot-tall clay idol of Goddess Durga and a 13-foot-tall idol of Goddess Lakshmi. Idols of Goddess Saraswati, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya, along with figures of two demons, are also being prepared.
The estimated expenditure on the puja and associated arrangements is between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 18 lakh, according to the organisers.
Makhana Idol Among Main Attractions
Sculptor Deepak Vishwakarma from Patna City is creating the idols for the celebrations. The makhana idol is expected to draw particular attention because of the use of the locally familiar fox nut as its primary material.
Maa Vindhyavasini Club has been organising Durga Puja since 2009. This year, the committee is arranging the pandal, stage decorations and lighting for visitors.
Two Pandal Structures Planned
The main pandal is planned to measure 30 feet in width and 50 feet in length. Organisers are also preparing another structure measuring 150 feet in width and 35 feet in length.
A team of artisans is working on the construction and decoration, with lighting arrangements also forming part of the preparations.
Chappan Bhog Planned From Panchami To Navami
The club plans to offer 56 varieties of food, known as Chappan Bhog, to the Goddess each day from Panchami to Navami. Organisers are also preparing 28 varieties of dishes for the fourth day of the celebrations.
The offerings will form part of the religious observances during the festival, with devotees expected to visit the pandal for worship and darshan.
Three-Day Maha-Bhandara From Saptami
A three-day Maha-Bhandara, or community feast, will be organised from Saptami to Navami. The menu will vary each day:
– Saptami: Halwa-puri
– Ashtami: Khichdi
– Navami: Kheer-puri
The committee is also planning to distribute puri-sabzi and boondi as prasad on Dashami.
Devotional Music Programme On Navami Night
A Mata ka Jagran will be organised on the night of Navami as part of the cultural programme. Singers Manjit Tiwari and Surjit Tiwari from Madhya Pradesh are scheduled to perform on October 19, according to the event plan.
The programme will feature devotional music dedicated to Goddess Durga.
Committee Oversees Preparations
The puja committee is headed by president Shivesh Sinha, with Manish Anand serving as general secretary, Dr Nitish Kumar as convener and Sonal Parag as treasurer.
Amitabh Singh, Pankaj Barnwal and Vikas Singh are joint secretaries. Bhuvan Mohan, Pramod Jha, Manish Sharma, Arvind Kumar, Bablu and Mantu are vice-presidents, while Saket is the deputy secretary.
Other members, including Vaibhav Kumar, are assisting with preparations for the festival.
