In an initiative indicating corporatisation of Durga Puja in Kolkata, jewellery brands are decking up some idols of the goddess installed in various pandals.
Retaining the typical Bengali fervour of the celebrations - reflected in the tagline 'Gouri Ebar Kundaner Saaje' (Gouri in Kundan), the adornments of the idol at Ekdalia Evergreen Club has been specially crafted to convey the message of women empowerment by ornament major Tanishq.
Mrinmoy Sen, who supervised the jewellery design, said the famed Jaipur kundan work re-created with Bengali aesthetics has been crafted in 7.7 kg of 22 karat gold.
The jewellery pieces are inspired by lotus, the most sacred flower of the Hindus.
The ornaments, designed for Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati and Lord Ganesh and Kartik would also retain influences of the jewellery seen on 'Ekchala' (old single structure) idols in zamindari households, Sen said.
"The jewelleries are traditionally crafted to match the typical look of our goddess for ages made by artists Ramesh Paul to Mohan Bansi Rudra Paul," Achintya Banerjee of Ekdalia Evergreen Club said.
Leading city-based Nemichand Bamalwa and Sons have crafted diamond jewellery worth over Rs 10 crore for the Durga idol at Sribhumi Sporting Club, another big budget puja.
The puja committee secretary Ashok Banik said diamond jewellery will be in sync with the terracota designs of Lakshmi Narayan Temple of South India.
