Now, 'Burj Khalifa' pandals in Bengal's Kali Puja

After a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, modelled on the world's tallest building Burj Khalifa, attracted a large number of people forcing police to make it out of bounds to visitors, at least two Kali Puja organisers in different parts of West Bengal built the replica of the Dubai landmark as their marquees.

People are making queues to watch both the 106-foot high pandal in Jalpaiguri district in north Bengal and the one at Chhotonilpur in Purba Bardhaman district in the southern part of the state, which has a height of 60 feet.

Nabarun Sangha, a club that organises the puja in Jalpaiguri town, claimed that there are a number of entry and exit points and volunteers are managing the crowd well.

''We have ensured that not a single person is allowed without a facemask at the entry point and the pandal inside a park can be watched only from a distance. We are in constant touch with police and administration and all COVID-19 protocols are being followed,'' puja committee Secretary Rajesh Mondal said.

There is also laser lighting accompanied by Bengali and Arabian music.

The idol will be immersed on Sunday, Mondal said.

Psychedelic lighting on the pandal is also an added attraction for the visitors of Chhotonilpur in Purba Bardhaman district.

''Our Burj Khalifa is a huge hit. We have put up plywood boards on the bamboo structure,'' a puja committee member said.

The Burj Khalifa pandal, along with a laser show, of Sribhumi Sporting Club in Kolkata was one of the topmost attractions during the Durga Puja celebration.

The club helmed by West Bengal Fire Services minister Sujit Bose suspended its laser show as it was attracting people in large numbers in front of the pandal. After a day, police made the marquee out of bounds to people as large gatherings before it were threatening health safety of the public in the Covid situation.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)