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{{Short description|Fabricated structure}}
A '''pandal''' is a fabricated structure, either temporary or permanent, that is used at many places such as either outside a building or in an open area such as along a public road<ref>{{Cite book|last=Palanithurai|first=Ganapathy|title=A Handbook for Panchayati Raj Administration (Tamil Nadu)|date=2007|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-8069-340-3|pages=229}}</ref> or in front of a house in [[India]] and other neighbouring countries.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rao|first=N. Sudhakar|title=Ethnography of a Nomadic Tribe: A Study of Yanadi|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|year=2002|isbn=978-81-7022-931-5|pages=106}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Saccidānandan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PGWa7v08JikC&dq=pandal+open+area&pg=PA151|title=Authors Speak|date=2006|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1945-8|pages=151}}</ref> This canopy or big tent is often used in a religious or other events that gathers people together, such as a [[wedding]], [[fair]], [[exhibition]] or [[festival]].
[[File:Panthal.jpg|thumb|250px]]

==In Hinduism==
[[File:Thatching - Jheel Meel - Kolkata 2011-12-22 7659.JPG|left|thumb|Temporary pandals being thatched in [[Kolkata]]]]
In [[Hinduism]], a ''pandal'' is a temporary structure set up to usually venerate the [[Hindu deities|god and goddess]] such as [[Ganesha]] during [[Ganesh Chaturthi]], [[Krishna]] during [[Krishna Janmashtami|Krishna Janmasthami]] or the Goddess [[Durga]] during [[Durga Puja]], known as ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]] pandal''.{{clarify |post-text = these are only 2 examples|date=July 2016}} Pandals are also used for nonreligious activities. For instance, these [[Tent|tents]] are put up during cultural programs.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kachru|first=Upendra|title=India Land of a Billion Entrepreneurs|publisher=Pearson Education India|year=2011|isbn=978-81-317-5861-8|pages=165}}</ref>

Pandals may be modelled after the structure of temples, huts, or skyscrapers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McDaniel |first=June |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Offering_Flowers_Feeding_Skulls/caeJpIj9SdkC?hl=en&gbpv=0 |title=Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal |date=2004-08-05 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-534713-5 |pages=223 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Durga Puja, Matri Mandir, Safdarjung Enclave, Delhi, 2014.JPG|thumb|''Durga Puja Pandal'' with theatre performances, [[Matri Mandir]], [[Safdarjung Enclave]], [[Delhi]], 2014]]

==In Buddhism in Sri Lanka==
In a ritual unique to [[Sri Lanka]], ''Vesak thorana'' pandals are set up during the [[Vesak]] festival,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sri Lanka News, Volume 11|publisher=Embassy of Sri Lanka|year=2001|location=Washington, D.C.|pages=7|language=en}}</ref> with illuminated panels illustrated with episodes from the life of the [[Gautama Buddha]] and [[Jataka tales|Jathaka Katha]] or stories based on [[Buddhist culture]]. 

The fundamental concept of a Vesak Pandal is a creatively made, massive structure, decorated with a large number of lights and paintings mounted on a huge supporting structure. This supporting structure is traditionally built with ''Puwak Gasa'' ([[Areca nut]] trees). Creating the structure requires creativity, inventiveness and the high-level expertise of a number of artists and light-system electricians, not to mention funding and planning in advance. The goal is to create a very beautiful and colorful experience. Many different and dedicated groups of experts participating often pass down this work from generation to generation or master to student. With change of time, nowadays Pandols are constructed using [[Scaffolding]], which doesn't require cutting down of "Puwak" Trees as a result. 

The most significant part of this display uses simple techniques in an intelligent way to create lighting on the front of the pandal. Most of the time this is a 2D structure.

[[File:Grandpass Vesak Thorana.jpg|thumb|Vesak Thorana (Pandol) in Colombo, Sri Lanka]]

==Other types of pandals==
Pandals are also set up during [[Gammaduwa]] (village rebirth) festivals, honouring the goddess [[Pattini]].{{clarify |post-text = Is this also only in Sri Lanka, only elsewhere, or both?|date=July 2016}}

Pandal also refers to platforms from which people splash water during the new year celebrations of the [[Thingyan]] festival.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/water08/wa04.htm|title=Constructing a pandal for festival fun|author=Kyaw Zin Htun|author2=Yadana Htun|date=24 March 2008|work=Myanmar Times|access-date=13 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409024115/http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/water08/wa04.htm|archive-date=9 April 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A pandal can also be a [[ceremonial gate]], built to welcome visitors.

A city in the Nilgiris district of the state of [[Tamil Nadu]] is named [[Pandalur]].{{clarify |post-text = Is this city name's origin connected with pandals or is it only spelled similarly?|date=July 2016}}

In [[Bangladesh]], Pandals, traditionally known as [[Shamiana]], are used in open field, outside mosques or [[Eidgah]]s for [[Eid prayer]], [[mehfil]]s for [[Islamic holidays|Religious]] and [[Culture of Bengal|Cultural]] [[List of festivals in Bangladesh|occasions]] such as Milad, [[Mezban]] and [[Bengali Muslim wedding|weddings]]. Each year the national eidgah's entrance gets decorated in a new theme. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.businessinsiderbd.com/photo-feature/news/21562/in-photos-national-eidgah-ready-to-hold-eid-jamaat | title=In Photos: National Eidgah ready to hold Eid jamaat }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Festivals in India]]
[[Category:Festivals in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Objects used in Hindu worship]]
[[Category:Buddhist practices]]
[[Category:Architecture in India]]


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