{
  "id": 12771358,
  "title": "From 100 to lakhs of visitors, crores spent: How CR Park’s community pujas became Delhi’s Durga Puja destination",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/from-100-to-lakhs-of-visitors-crores-spent-how-cr-parks-community",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-08T02:30:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/cr-park-community-puja-delhi-durga-puja-destination-10911590/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Durga Puja celebrations in Delhi's Chittaranjan Park have transformed dramatically over the past five decades, evolving from a modest community event to a major public affair. Devyani Rudra, a resident for over six decades, recalled how just 50 to 100 people would attend the pujas when she was growing up, tending to chores like preparing bhog and joining neighborhood cultural programs.\n\nToday, the park welcomes lakhs of visitors annually, with around 10 major community pujas and numerous private celebrations. The budget for these festivities has ballooned, with Kali Mandir, one of the largest venues, spending around Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore annually. This includes costs for the pandal, bhog (traditional meal), and a sizable cultural program. The scale of preparation is similarly extensive at other venues, with Narayan Dey, secretary of the Mela Ground Durga Puja Samiti, noting that the pandal now measures 180 feet by 85 feet, hosting around 1-1.5 lakh people daily during the festival.\n\nWhile corporate sponsorships have become a significant source of funding, with companies like Raymonds and HCL contributing, the shift has raised concerns among some long-time residents. They lament the loss of the festival's intimate community spirit, noting the rise of commercialization and the prominence of popular stars over local talent. Despite these changes, the festival continues to be a major cultural event, drawing visitors from across Delhi-NCR and providing employment to artisans who craft thousands of idols annually for puja committees. However, the shift towards a more commercialized event has also sparked debate about the festival's true essence and the dilution of its original community-centric values.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}