Most expensive Durga puja in Tripura

A Durga Puja here is stealing the show with crowds thronging to see an idol of Goddess Durga adorned with 22-karat gold jewellery and an American diamond worth Rs. 4 crores in Agartala.

The pandal, where the idol has been kept is made of Chinese gold-plated fabrics and fibre glass.

The secretary of the Chattrabandu Club Puja Organising Committee, Ashok Ghosh, has claimed that it is the most expensive community puja and that is its major attraction.

"The club had to bear an expense of between Rs.65 to Rs.70 lakhs and the remaining was on donation of good hearts of those who came forward to sponsor the puja, besides a reputed jewellery firm of Kolkata had given the ornament," Ghosh said.

He also informed that their pandal resembled the Laxmi-Narayan Temple in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, where the idols are made of fibre glass.

"This is for the first time in the history of Durga Puja in Tripura that such an arrangement has been made by any club. We have come to see the uniqueness of 'Devi Durga' which has been very preciously decorated with jewellery items of gold and diamond," said a visitor, Aditiya Gope.

We are really overwhelmed to see the craftsmanship by the person who has made this," said Gope who has come along with her children to see the idols.

Electronic surveillance and private security guards have been deployed to keep a vigil in the area.