In the basement of a pandal, an 18-ft-tall Buddha reclines on a stone slab. Beside him lies another figure of similar height, appearance and posture. In the artist’s interpretation, this is China’s Buddha.
The golden jubilee edition of the Netaji Sadak Anchalik Adhibasibrinda puja in Siriti, Behala, features a comparison of Indian and Chinese Buddhist architecture. Covering 28,000sqft, it ranks among the largest puja pandals this year.
Theme-maker Suvo Sraboni Das has drawn inspiration from Buddhist sites across India and China.
“The original reclining Buddha in cave No. 26 at Ajanta is 24ft long. Ours is slightly smaller. I aim to show the far-reaching influence of Indian Buddhist architecture,” he said.
Visitors cross a small culvert over an artificial waterway to see a graphic representation of Buddhism’s spread from India to several parts of China along the Silk Route.
“Sanko perolei Chin (Cross the culvert and reach China) is what we are telling visitors,” said Sumit Sarkar, the puja’s advertisement secretary.
The grand façade, 140ft wide and 37ft high, replicates the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, China. Numerous small grottoes punctuate the façade, housing Buddha figures measuring between 1ft and 1.5ft. At the centre is a larger grotto containing multiple Buddha statues, depicted in as damaged a state as the originals. Visitors must climb several flights of stairs to reach this level.
“The huge seated Buddha carved into the surface is based on the Leshan Giant Buddha on a cliff face in Sichuan province. Dated between 712 and 804 AD, it is the world’s tallest pre-modern statue. I have incorporated it into the Longmen Grottoes,” said Das.
Eleven feet below this level is a 2,500 sq ft museum that visitors descend into and walk through to reach the goddess. Backlit book covers on Buddhism adorn the ceiling. One side displays examples of Buddhist art from Nalanda and Taxila, alongside frescoes from the Ajanta caves. A prominent section of the wall features four relief panels representing the Ajanta and Ellora caves, as well as the Yungang and Mogao grottoes.
The club has set a budget of ₹35 lakh for its golden jubilee puja.
“We have been saving for this year for a long time. Work began in June. So far, we have procured 270 sacks of cement, 30,000 bricks and 300 sacks of plaster of Paris,” Sarkar said on behalf of the club.
Das said he had long been interested in archaeology. “As an engineer, I am fascinated by how the builders of these ancient monuments managed without modern equipment. Their achievements are unbelievable. I have never visited any of these sites myself, but we have tried our best to recreate their grandeur for visitors to appreciate,” he said.
A team from the consulate general of China is expected to visit on Monday.