1 week Ago
Vadodara: Ganpati pandals in the city are known to raise awareness on various issues or even be critical of the prevailing situation. With the recent flood and the Harni Lake tragedy still haunting the city, a Ganpati pandal used these and recent man-made disasters in the state to raise the issue of corruption. An idol labelled as "the demon of corruption" has been put on a stage.
The background bears pictures of the Harni Lake boat capsize, the flood in Vadodara, Rajkot gaming zone fire and the Morbi suspension bridge collapse. The pandal has been organized by LBS Group near Poonam Complex on Waghodia Road. Children visiting the pandal with their parents can pose for a photograph while ‘stabbing the demon' with a trident provided to them.
"We initially planned to include events till the Harni boat tragedy in the background. Before we could print the material, the flood struck the city. We decided to include the flood in our theme," said Mehul Kahar, organizer of the pandal.
While Kahar is a Congress worker, he said the pandal only takes up such themes occasionally. Kahar said the pandal focuses on themes that appeal to children. "It is only when events affect them that we include them.
The last time we had such a theme was when the Takshashila Complex fire took place in Surat," he said. Coaching class students were the victims of the fire in Surat. Another reason to pick this theme was that the victims of the Harni boat tragedy studied at New Sunrise School, which is in the area where the pandal is organized.
Most victims were residents of this area, said Kahar. A message board where visitors can write suggestions for the administration has also been prepared. Kahar said they had also printed survey forms on the flood and related issues.
Visitors can fill in these when they visit the pandal..
