DEVOTEES are making a beeline to a Durga Puja pandal in Ranchi themed on the ancient ‘gurukul’ knowledge system, showcasing 21,000 books. The pandal at Argora Chowk, resembling a grand library, enshrines Goddess Durga amid thousands of books, with the ambience being a delight for people, especially bibliophiles. Shri Durga Puja & Ravana Dahan Committee, Argora committee president Pankaj Sahu told PTI, “Every year, we make efforts to do something different.

 

This year, we decided to build a pandal on the theme of ‘gurukul’ tradition, using 21,000 selected books.” Among the books are religious texts Ramayana, Mahabharat and Bhagavat Gita, a copy of the Constitution, books on the Hindi alphabet, science, history and the Jharkhand movement. “The reason we built our pandal like a library is to make today’s youth aware of our religious texts and also to popularise the habit of reading, which is decreasing among the people,” Sahu said. A 14-foot Durga idol has been installed inside the 50-foot by 40-foot marquee, and in front of her, at some distance, a 15-foot peepal tree has been erected.