Bombay Durga Bari Samiti ready to celebrate its 90th Durga Puja on a grand scale

This Durga Puja  dates back to 1930.

The Samiti prefers to follow the traditional 'ek chala' style, where the idols are grouped against a single backdrop.

The goddess and her children will be dressed in Banarasi saris and adorned with gold jewellery.

The theme for this year is Sheesh Mahal and the venue - the historic Tejpal Hall in south Mumbai - will be made to look like a resplendent palace courtroom.  

The organizers also focus on using eco-friendly material for construction of the marquee and other necessities and therefore refrain from using plaster of paris, thermocol, and plastic.

"We have been following this trend for the past few years and we want to lead by example that we can create idols of beauty without harming our environment," said Mitali Poddar, convenor of the 'protima' (idol)  committee. 

President Jayanta Basu too reiterated the sentiment,  “We have been celebrating Durga Puja in an environment-friendly way and hope to continue doing so in the years to come. After all Durga Puja is the celebration of the victory of good over evil and one of the greatest evils today is environmental degeneration and now the threat to our planet is now greater than ever,"

“Keeping in line with the eco-friendly theme, materials like bamboos, hay and soil are being used to make the idol; this year. no oil colours are being used either. Water soluble colours will be used for the idols," said Basu.

The Samiti also works as a  cultural and charitable organization in Mumbai.

Some of its philanthropic activities include  granting scholarships to underprivileged and deserving students under the aegis of the Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Education Fund; supporting The Society for the Education of the Crippled, Agripada; distributing food grains to organizations looking after and providing education to underprivileged children, etc.

Last year, the organisation donated the saris received during the course of the Durga Puja to a charitable organisation and partnered with the Robin Hood Army to ensure that the 'bhog' offered to the goddess later was distributed among people who often go hungry.

The Samiti will hold cultural prgrammes on all days of the festival.