Hyderabad’s Balapur Ganesh pandal recreates iconic Puri Jagannath Temple

Hyderabad’s Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi has recreated the iconic Puri Jagannath Temple as this year’s pandal. Around 70 artists worked for nearly a month on the Rs 40 lakh setup, adding sculptures and frames inspired by the Odisha temple.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s famous Balapur Ganesh is taking devotees to Odisha, with its unique pandal modelled after the iconic Puri Jagannath Temple this year.

Each year, the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi puts up unique pandals that have been recreated after temples like Swarnagiri Sree Venkateswara Swamy Temple, Ayodhya Ram Mandir, Arunchalam and Tirupati, among others.

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The organisers have spent nearly a month recreating the Puri Jagannath Temple setup, which has been done by a decorator, Sudhakar Reddy, at a cost of around Rs 40 lakh.

Around 70 artists sculpted some of the unique sculptures of different gods and frames that resemble Puri Temple at a workshop in Shameerpet. They later assembled for the pandal at Balapur.

Speaking to ‘Telangana Today’, Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi president Kellam Niranjan Reddy said that while Balapur Ganesh idol will have the same features as every year, the pandal has been modelled after the Puri Jagannath Temple.

Also known as ‘Adi Vinayaka’, the Balapur Ganesh is famous for its Laddu Prasadam, which started the tradition of auction, and belief successfully bidding bring the bidder health, wealth and prosperity.

The history of the laddu auction dates back to 1994, when it was successfully bid for Rs 450, and last year, it fetched a staggering Rs 35 lakh.