Various grand pandals have been erected in different locations throughout Ranchi. The Panch Mandir Durga Puja Samiti in Harmu has replicated the Prem Mandir of Vrindavan. Meanwhile, the Durga Puja committee on Ratu Road, Ranchi, has constructed a pandal resembling a church in Vatican City, Italy, which has become a subject of controversy even before its inauguration.

Controversy has erupted over the construction of a Durga Puja pandal in Ranchi that mirrors a church in Vatican City, Italy. National spokesperson of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Vinod Bansal, raised objections and shared a post on social media X. The post included videos of the exterior and interior of the pandal, questioning how the government is allegedly playing with the faith, beliefs, and religious sentiments of Hindus. He alleged that the Durga Puja pandal, under the leadership of JMM leader Vicky Yadav, has become a hub for religious conversion. The RR Sporting Club on Ratu Road, Ranchi, has essentially recreated Vatican City, Rome, for the installation of the idol of Goddess Durga.

The pandal’s interior and exterior, modeled after the church in Vatican City, have drawn criticism. The pandal features pictures of Catholic religious figures and depicts individuals holding the Christian symbol of the cross. These elements have fueled the controversy. VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal posted a video of the Durga Puja pandal, designed to look like a church, on social media, expressing his objections.

The RR Sporting Club in Ratu Road, Ranchi, has invested approximately 70 lakh rupees in constructing the Durga Puja pandal, which is modeled after the church in Vatican City, Italy. The construction has become a source of contention among devotees even before its inauguration.

In response to the controversy surrounding the pandal’s design, the RR Durga Puja Samiti has removed elements of the pandal that Hindu organizations had objected to, to avoid hurting the sentiments of devotees visiting during the Durga Puja celebrations.

Various other grand pandals are being constructed in different parts of Ranchi. The Panch Mandir Durga Puja Samiti in Harmu has designed a replica of the Prem Mandir in Vrindavan. Meanwhile, the Durga Puja committee in Ratu Road, Ranchi, has constructed a Durga Puja pandal modeled after the Vatican City church in Rome, Italy, which has sparked controversy even before its inauguration.

Controversy arose because the Durga Puja pandal in Ranchi has been designed based on the Vatican City church in Rome, Italy. The National Spokesperson of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Vinod Bansal, expressed his objection to the pandal on social media platform X. Along with his post, he shared videos of the pandal’s exterior and interior, questioning the religious sentiments of Hindus, accusing the JMM leader Vicky Yadav of converting the pandal into a hub for religious conversion. The RR Sporting Club in Ratu Road, Ranchi, has recreated the entire Vatican City of Rome for the installation of the Durga idol.

Following the design, the exterior and interior of the pandal closely resemble the church in Vatican City. Inside the pandal, there are pictures of Catholic religious leaders. Additionally, some people are depicted on the outside of the pandal holding the Christian symbol of the cross. These elements have led to controversy. Vinod Bansal, the national spokesperson of VHP, posted a video of the Durga Puja pandal, designed to look like a church, on social media, expressing his objections.

The RR Sporting Club in Ratu Road, Ranchi, is spending approximately 70 lakh rupees to construct the Durga Puja pandal, based on the Vatican City church in Rome, Italy, which has become a subject of controversy before its inauguration for devotees.

As the controversy surrounding the pandal’s design intensified, the RR Durga Puja Samiti removed the elements that the Hindu organizations had objected to, to avoid hurting the sentiments of devotees visiting during the Durga Puja.

Various grand puja pandals are being built in different parts of Ranchi. The Panch Mandir Durga Puja Samiti in Harmu has created a replica of the Prem Mandir of Vrindavan. However, the Durga Puja pandal built by the puja committee in Ratu Road, Ranchi, which is modeled after the Vatican City church in Rome, Italy, has become embroiled in controversy even before its inauguration.

Why the controversy surrounding the pandal?

A Durga Puja pandal has been constructed in Ranchi, modeled after the church in Vatican City, Italy. The National Spokesperson of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Vinod Bansal, raised objections to this on social media platform X. Along with the post, videos of the outside and inside of the pandal were shared with the caption, “See how the government is playing games with the faith, beliefs, and religious sentiments of Hindus. The Durga Puja pandal, under the leadership of JMM leader Vicky Yadav, has now become a hub for religious conversion. RR Sporting, Ratu Road Ranchi, has established the entire Vatican City, Rome, to install the idol of Maa Durga.”

VHP leader raises objections

The interior and exterior structure of the pandal, built on the lines of the church in Vatican City, a religious city for Christians in Rome, Italy, has been replicated. Pictures of Catholic religious leaders are displayed inside the pandal. Additionally, some people are depicted on the outer part of the pandal, holding the Christian symbol of the cross. Due to these reasons, the puja pandal has become controversial, and VHP National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal objected to it on social media with a post accompanied by a video of the Durga Puja pandal designed like a church.

Costing 70 Lakh Rupees
The RR Sporting Club in Ratu Road, Ranchi, is constructing a puja pandal modeled after the church in Vatican City, Rome, Italy, at a cost of approximately 70 lakh rupees, which has become a subject of controversy for the devotees even before its inauguration.

However, as soon as the controversy over the design of the puja pandal intensified, the RR Durga Puja Samiti removed the aspects of the puja pandal’s design to which Hindu organizations had raised objections, to ensure that the faith of the devotees visiting during Durga Puja is not hurt.

The committee is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To mark this golden jubilee, the committee has built a grand pandal on the Arpa River bank, inspired by Rajasthani culture. A ‘Jagrata’ program was held on the eve of Navratri, featuring a performance by renowned singer Dukalu Yadav, which drew a large crowd. A ‘Chunari Yatra’ was also held on the first day of Navratri, followed by the installation of the deity’s idol.

Organizers claim this Durga pandal is the biggest in Chhattisgarh. This year’s Navratri festival is being planned on the lines of a ‘Mahakumbh,’ with the Arpa River bank beautifully decorated. A fair has also been organized. For ten days, devotees can visit the Durga idol, and there will be performances by famous artists, including devotional songs and cultural programs.

The committee has built a Rajasthani-style pandal with artistic elements and a palace-like structure to make this year’s event special and attractive. The pandal, which covers an area of 2 lakh square feet, has been beautifully designed. Inside the pandal, there are tableaux and temple-like decorations showcasing Chhattisgarh’s culture, attracting a large crowd of visitors.