Ram temple-themed pandal a big hit

Surat: A Ganesh pandal set up on the theme of the under-construction Ram temple in Ayodhya is attracting huge crowds in Surat city, with the organisers saying its pillars and lighting give visitors a feel of actually being inside the temple.
The pandal’s entrance is an exact replica of the Ayodhya temple's entrance, they claimed.
The sprawling pandal, spread across 125 X 65 metres area, has been erected on Bhatar road by a group of people engaged in making pandals for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival for the last 25 years.
“Last year, our pandal was set up on the theme of Jaipur city. This year, we chose the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Through this pandal, we want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts in realising the dream of all Hindus to have a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,” the main organiser, Kamal Mevawala, said.
The pandal was erected at a cost of nearly Rs 60 lakh, which came from donations, he said. “Inside the pandal, we have put large posters to showcase the life of Lord Ram as depicted in the epic Ramayana.
The idol of Lord Ganesh installed in the pandal has been brought from Mumbai. It was created by the artists who make the famous Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh idol in Mumbai,” he said.
Its entrance is an exact replica of the Ram temple's entrance, he said. PTI