Victoria Memorial draws huge crowd at Hatia

RANCHI: Thousands of people turned up to see the replica of Kolkata's iconic Victoria Memorial after the gates of the pandals were opened on Tuesday evening. The pandal constructed by Hatia Railway Station Puja Committee is one of its kind as this is the first time in the city that any pandal has been constructed to look like the British-era monument in Kolkata.

Constructed at a cost of Rs 10 lakh, the pandal does not just look like the Victoria Memorial from the outside but the artists have also tried to replicate the museum inside the monument as well.

Puja committee secretary Indrajeet Singh said, "We have tried to copy the display of the museum as well as the lighting and chandelier. We are happy to see the appreciation of the people."

Unlike other puja pandals of the city which are made by artists from West Bengal, this puja pandal has been constructed by artists from Sahibganj. The lights ahve been designed by local artists too.

Singh said, "We are trying to promote the local artisans and hence instead of calling artists from other states, we roped in the artists from Sahibaunj and they have done a wonderful job."