Kolkata to witness tallest Durga idol this festive season

The City of Joy has seen idols of Goddess Kali scaling record heights in the past but this festive season, it is set to witness a record-breaking idol of Goddess Durga measuring over 100 feet.

Deshapriya Park Durgotsav Committee, the South Kolkata-based organisers of the unique idol slated to be the tallest in the world, are also planning to apply for a place in the Guinness Book of World Records to make their feat memorable.

With less than two months to go for the mega Bengali festival, the head of the idol measuring 12 feet has already been in place. According to the organisers, the complete idol, which is likely to touch 108 feet or match 11-storey building, is likely to be complete by the second week of October.

Sponsored by Cement Manufacturing Company Limited (CMCL), the owner of the Star Cement, the idol is made of cement and not clay. It is being executed under the guidance of veteran idol-maker Mintu Pal of Kumartuli, the artisans’ district in North Kolkata.

“I’ve never heard anybody attempting to sculpt such a big idol. This is quite an exciting challenge for me,” Pal said, adding that unlike other Durga Pujas, Deshapriya Park will have no canopy so that the idol can be accommodated properly.