Women’s empowerment at heart of Delhi’s Durga Puja this year
3 months, 1 week ago

Women’s empowerment at heart of Delhi’s Durga Puja this year

Hindustan Times  

New Delhi Artisans give final touches to statues of deity Durga at CR Park. “Women empowerment is the central theme of this year’s puja, in light of the RG Kar Hospital case and we want to spread the message, using the high footfall at pandals,” Prodip Ganguly, general secretary of the Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir Durga Puja Samiti, said. “We put up a huge poster at the competition talking about women empowerment and we had included a huge blank sheet right beside the poster for people to write their ideas and experiences about what we can do to address the root cause of the problem,” Ganguly said, citing it an attempt to “get the conversation started.” Several other pandals across the city are following suit, citing the importance of women’s safety. “This year, we will be observing three minutes of silence before the puja proceedings begin to pay our respect to the RG Kar victim,” said Sujoy Ghosh, secretary of the Sarbojanin Puja Samiti in Chittaranjan Park. “The posters will be displayed at the puja pandal,” Biswas said, adding, “Every evening, people visitors will be invited to take a pledge with us to stop discrimination on the basis of gender and to uphold the dignity of women in society.” A group holding Durga Puja celebrations in Noida said they are taking initiatives to express gratitude to women.

Women Puja This Year Durga Puja Durga Kar Ganguly Ghosh  kar  pandals  rg  empowerment  theme  puja  ghosh  samiti  womens  poster  durga  heart  women  delhis

History of this topic

Hindu festival in Bangladesh under tight security following attacks
2 months, 4 weeks ago

Hindu festival in Bangladesh under tight security following attacks

LA Times  

Schoolteacher Supriya Sarker is glad to celebrate Bangladesh’s largest Hindu festival of Durga Puja but says the festivities would be more jubilant without the fear and violence that overshadow this year’s event. This is our country, we want to live here peacefully with our Muslim brothers and sisters and others without discrimination or intimidation.” Her concern comes as the country’s …

This Durga Puja, Noida pandals pay homage to Kolkata rape victim
3 months ago

This Durga Puja, Noida pandals pay homage to Kolkata rape victim

Hindustan Times  

Gautam Budh Nagar district is all geared up to usher in Durga Puja festivities from Thursday, with leading Durga Puja committees dedicating their pandal themes to pay homage to the Kolkata rape and murder case victim while also highlighting women empowerment and the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Bengal. We will treat this year’s Durga Puja to throw light …

Vikhroli Durga pandal to bring in festivities merging tradition with inclusivity
3 months, 1 week ago

Vikhroli Durga pandal to bring in festivities merging tradition with inclusivity

Hindustan Times  

MUMBAI: Durga puja committees across the country have been making an attempt to promote an all-inclusive Sindoor Khela on Vijayadashmi – the last day of the festivities -- for nearly a decade now, and this year, the Vikhroli Bengali Association has decided to imbibe this shift from tradition in its 59th year. The all-inclusive Sindoor Khela is a modern twist …

Night-long protests over doctor's murder mark Mahalaya ahead of Durga Puja
3 months, 1 week ago

Night-long protests over doctor's murder mark Mahalaya ahead of Durga Puja

The Hindu  

Protesting the rape and murder of the R.G. Kar hospital doctor, night-long demonstrations were held across West Bengal on the auspicious occasion of Mahalaya, which marks the beginning of the festive season with Durga Puja barely six days away. A large number of women took part in the protests that were held at Ruby Crossing, outside the Academy of Fine …

RG Kar rape-murder casts shadow, sales ahead of Durga Puja nosedive
4 months ago

RG Kar rape-murder casts shadow, sales ahead of Durga Puja nosedive

New Indian Express  

KOLKATA: Continuing protests over the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata have dampened Durga puja spirits, taking a toll on festival-related business. Sources in Durga puja committees said that every year around Rs 38 crore business is generated during the pujas but this year it would drastically dip as the scale …

Durga Puja committees reject Mamata govt's festival grants in protest over Kolkata rape-murder case
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Durga Puja committees reject Mamata govt's festival grants in protest over Kolkata rape-murder case

India TV News  

The brutal rape and murder of a trainee female doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 has sent shockwaves across the nation, igniting state-wide protests and raising serious questions about the West Bengal government and state police's handling of the case. Now, the tragic incident has also cast a shadow over this year's Durga Puja …

Kolkata Durga Puja Committees Reject Mamata Govt Grant In Protest Against RG Kar Rape-Murder
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Kolkata Durga Puja Committees Reject Mamata Govt Grant In Protest Against RG Kar Rape-Murder

ABP News  

Kolkata: In a growing wave of dissent, Durga Puja committees are returning the state government’s grant in protest against the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal gives a grant to different committees that organise the annual Durga Puja celebrations. The committee members said they are …

A season of Puja politics begins in West Bengal
1 year, 2 months ago

A season of Puja politics begins in West Bengal

The Hindu  

With Mahalaya being observed across West Bengal on Saturday, the Durga Puja festival in the State has begun and the next few days will not only mark the onset of festivities but also subtle politics centred around the cultural extravaganza. From honorarium to community Durga Puja pandals, to the themes around the Puja, bonus to contractual employees, the literature sold …

Nuclear Explosion, Chhau Dance Among Durga Puja Themes in Ranchi
2 years, 3 months ago

Nuclear Explosion, Chhau Dance Among Durga Puja Themes in Ranchi

News 18  

With permission being accorded to celebrate Durga Puja sans Covid-19 restrictions after a gap of two years, organisers in Ranchi have based their pandals and idols on myriad themes ranging from a nuclear explosion to Chhau dance and religious structures. The Ranchi Railway Station Durga Puja Committee has depicted a mushroom cloud to spread the message of environmental damage caused …

Durga Puja 2022: 'Shakti Squad' to keep vigil on eve-teasers, ensure safety of women in Jamshedpur
2 years, 3 months ago

Durga Puja 2022: 'Shakti Squad' to keep vigil on eve-teasers, ensure safety of women in Jamshedpur

India TV News  

Durga Puja 2022: To inculcate confidence among women revellers during Durga Puja festival, the East Singhbhum district police has deployed 'Shakti Squad' women mobile police force to keep vigil on eve-teasers and miscreants in the steel city of Jamshedpur, an officer said. Senior Superintendent of Police, Prabhat Kumar, Additional District Magistrate, Nandkishore Lal flagged off the "Shakti Squad" on Friday, …

Why is Durga Puja the most anticipated festival of the year?
2 years, 3 months ago

Why is Durga Puja the most anticipated festival of the year?

The Hindu  

The festival of Durga Puja honours the goddess Durga’s triumph over the demon ruler Mahishasura. We’ve compiled a list of the things that make pandal hopping so much fun during Durga Puja: ● Themes Every year, each Durga Pandal has a unique, distinct concept. Intriguing Durga Pandal themes: Bhageer Maa Burj Khalifa War Global Warming Covid 19 Pandemic Mayer Haate …

Durga Puja 2022 | Kolkata pulls out all stops to restore pre-pandemic festive shine
2 years, 4 months ago

Durga Puja 2022 | Kolkata pulls out all stops to restore pre-pandemic festive shine

The Hindu  

After two years of restraint, the City of Joy appears to be pulling out all stops to celebrate Durga Puja, which will be celebrated in the first week of October. What has sweetened this year’s festivities is the inclusion of Durga Puja in UNESCO’s list of “intangible cultural heritage”. “Having spent the past two years finishing my PhD and grieving …

The problematic Durga Puja push
2 years, 4 months ago

The problematic Durga Puja push

The Hindu  

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent decision to increase the honorarium to puja committees organising community Durga Pujas has once again triggered a debate on the relationship between state and religion. Since 2018, when the Trinamool Congress government started giving ₹10,000 to each community Durga Puja club, the honorarium has increased to ₹60,000. For the last 11 years, Ms. …

Early Durga Puja celebration in West Bengal with a grand rally: Mamata Banerjee
2 years, 4 months ago

Early Durga Puja celebration in West Bengal with a grand rally: Mamata Banerjee

The Hindu  

With the ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ being included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the autumn festival started early with the State on Thursday with the West Bengal government organising a rally to celebrate the global recognition. UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Secretary Tim Curtis said that in inscribing Durga Puja in Kolkata on the list the intergovernmental committee for …

Mamata hikes honorarium to community Durga Puja committees to ₹60,000
2 years, 4 months ago

Mamata hikes honorarium to community Durga Puja committees to ₹60,000

The Hindu  

Describing the Durga Puja festival this year as “special”, as the festival comes after it has been recognised by UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hiked the honorarium for community Durga Pujas. Addressing representatives of community Puja organisers in Kolkata, Ms. Banerjee said that honorarium to clubs which organise community Durga Puja …

Durga puja pandal attacks | Sheikh Hasina promises action
3 years, 2 months ago

Durga puja pandal attacks | Sheikh Hasina promises action

The Hindu  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her Government will deliver justice in the violence of Comilla district on October 13 that was marked by mobs targeting Durga puja pandals. Dhaka, which organised Durga puja in 238 pandals, also witnessed some anxious moments on Friday when a large crowd gathered outside the Baitul Mukarram mosque and began protesting against the reported …

Those who attacked Hindu temples, Durga Puja pandals will be punished, says Bangladesh PM Hasina
3 years, 2 months ago

Those who attacked Hindu temples, Durga Puja pandals will be punished, says Bangladesh PM Hasina

Firstpost  

She also urged India to remain vigilant against escalation of any communal violence Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday promised to bring justice and swift action against those responsible for the attacks on Hindu temples and Durga Puja celebrations in Comilla. At least four persons were killed in violence after some Hindu temples in Bangladesh were vandalised by unidentified Muslim …

India in talks with Bangladesh govt over violence in Chattogram's Durga puja pandals
3 years, 2 months ago

India in talks with Bangladesh govt over violence in Chattogram's Durga puja pandals

India Today  

India has been in 'close contact' with the Bangladesh government over incidents of violence at Durga Puja pandals following communal tension in Chattogram in the last few days, according to Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. Violence erupted after news spread on social media that the Quran was allegedly desecrated at a Durga Puja pandal near Nanuar Dighi lake …

Durga Puja 2021: Know about Sindoor Khela ceremony, history, significance and much more
3 years, 2 months ago

Durga Puja 2021: Know about Sindoor Khela ceremony, history, significance and much more

India TV News  

The festival of Dussehra or Vijayadashami is right around the corner. On the last day of Shardiya Navratri, married Bengali Hindu women offer vermilion or sindoor to Goddess Durga's feet and face and apply it on each other. According to another theory, the tradition of Sindoor Khela is a as old as Durga Puja which is almost 400 years old. …

Four priestesses conduct Durga Puja in 66 pally puja pandal in Kolkata
3 years, 2 months ago

Four priestesses conduct Durga Puja in 66 pally puja pandal in Kolkata

Op India  

Kolkata’s Durga Puja is one of the most beautiful festivals in the country. This year, the organisers of 66 Pally Durga Puja in Kolkata’s Rash Behari Avenue have defied a century-old stereotype by bringing in female priests to perform all of the rites. This is the first time they have held a Durga Puja with a theme ‘Mayer Haate Mayer …

The best of Durga Puja 2021 pandals in Kolkata. Trending viral pics
3 years, 2 months ago

The best of Durga Puja 2021 pandals in Kolkata. Trending viral pics

India Today  

Durga Puja is celebrated on a grand scale in Bengal and the spirit of festivity is infectious and unmissable. But worry not, because we have brought a sneak peek of some of the best themed Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata this year that are bound to leave you mesmerized. KAKURGACHI YUVAK BRINDA This Durga Puja committee decided to revive the …

Mamata granting funds to puja committees to woo them: Bengal BJP to EC
3 years, 4 months ago

Mamata granting funds to puja committees to woo them: Bengal BJP to EC

India Today  

On Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party unit in Bengal wrote to the Election Commission citing violation of the Model Code of Conduct after the West Bengal government announced the continuation of Durga puja grant to organisers this year as well. The announcement was made by West Bengal Chief Secretary Hari Krishna Dwivedi and Banerjee stated that all facilities available last …

Durga puja 2020: Know about Sindoor Khela and significance of Dashami ritual
4 years, 2 months ago

Durga puja 2020: Know about Sindoor Khela and significance of Dashami ritual

India Today  

Durga puja last day 2020: Dussehra or Vijayadashami is one of the most significant festivals celebrated with full fervour and enthusiasm in India. However, one of the most significant rituals Sindoor Khela or Sindur Khela is celebrated by Bengali Hindu women on this day after ghat visarjan. Durga Puja is the biggest festival for Bengalis and Vijaya Dashami is the …

Durga Puja 2020: Now you can seek Maa Durga's blessings sitting at home
4 years, 2 months ago

Durga Puja 2020: Now you can seek Maa Durga's blessings sitting at home

India TV News  

With the COVID-19 outbreak, Durga Puja associations across the country have decided to keep celebrations low key. While a few pandals will be hosting Durga Puja 2020 keeping COVID-19 guidelines in mind, but there are virtual ways to make the festival even more memorable. Delhi's CR Park’s B-Block puja committee has reduced the annual five-day affair to a single day …

Durga Puja 2020: Check Out Covid-19 Guidelines to be Followed During Pandal Hopping
4 years, 2 months ago

Durga Puja 2020: Check Out Covid-19 Guidelines to be Followed During Pandal Hopping

News 18  

Social distancing in times of Puja! Durga Puja has a different feel this year as Covid-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented situation that has forced people to alter their usual ways of celebration, of which pandal hopping is an indispensable part. • Crowds must be regulated especially on auspicious days that attract maximum people • Exhibitions, puja pandals, fairs and …

Durga Puja 2020: Here are Important Dates and Rituals of the Holy Festival
4 years, 2 months ago

Durga Puja 2020: Here are Important Dates and Rituals of the Holy Festival

News 18  

Durga Puja is one of the grandest festivals celebrated in the country. This festival is a celebration of Goddess Durga’s victory over defeating the demon, Mahishasura. To celebrate the festival, the pandals in West Bengal have already been decorated to welcome the shakti as Goddess Durga. Normally, Durga Puja starts six days after Mahalaya but this year it is different …

WB Guv Dhankhar Hails HC Order to Ban Durga Puja Pandals for Visitors, Urges People to Follow Covid Norms
4 years, 2 months ago

WB Guv Dhankhar Hails HC Order to Ban Durga Puja Pandals for Visitors, Urges People to Follow Covid Norms

News 18  

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday hailed the Calcutta High Court order to declare all community Durga puja pandals as no entry zones for visitors and urged the people to enjoy the festival taking all COVID-19 safety precautions. Dhankhar tweeted “In view of Calcutta High Court order in public interest would have virtual participation in Durga Puja inaugurations. On …

No Durga Puja pandals in Delhi’s CR Park this year
4 years, 2 months ago

No Durga Puja pandals in Delhi’s CR Park this year

Live Mint  

No Durga Puja pandals will be allowed to set up in Delhi's CR Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the puja in the main temple will be held with the entry of around 50 people, AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Monday. "Most of the population of CR Park and members of puja committees are senior citizens and it …

Pandemic and Senior Citizens' Involvement in Mind, Delhi's CR Park Says No to Durga Puja Pandals
4 years, 2 months ago

Pandemic and Senior Citizens' Involvement in Mind, Delhi's CR Park Says No to Durga Puja Pandals

News 18  

New Delhi: No Durga Puja pandals will be allowed to set up in Delhi’s CR Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the puja in the main temple will be held with the entry of around 50 people, AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Monday. “Most of the population of CR Park and members of puja committees are senior citizens …

Shashi Tharoor praises ‘brilliantly appropriate’ coronavirus-themed Durga Puja
4 years, 2 months ago

Shashi Tharoor praises ‘brilliantly appropriate’ coronavirus-themed Durga Puja

Hindustan Times  

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday showered praises on the creative spirit of a Durga Puja committee in Kolkata which has chosen coronavirus as its theme for the five-day festival starting from October 22. The Covid-19 death toll in West Bengal went past the 6,000-mark on Sunday with 64 more fatalities “Brilliantly appropriate #covid19-themed Durga Puja creativity from Kolkata, with …

Delhi’s Durga Puja to go online; home delivery of prasad, COVID test for priests
4 years, 2 months ago

Delhi’s Durga Puja to go online; home delivery of prasad, COVID test for priests

Live Mint  

Online darshan, home delivery of prasad and COVID-19 test for priests and cooks are some of the unique measures that Durga Puja organisers in the national capital have come up with to safely host the festival in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. The Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir Society, which organises one of the biggest Durga puja festival in Delhi, …

Durga Puja 2020: Is virtual pandal-hopping the new normal this time?
4 years, 2 months ago

Durga Puja 2020: Is virtual pandal-hopping the new normal this time?

Live Mint  

Amid Durga puja preparations and surge in coronavirus cases with each passing day, several pandal committees are making arrangements for virtual 'darshan' this time, while barring the physical entry of visitors. Amid the idea of virtual pandal-hopping, the Calcutta High Court has reportedly directed all Durga puja pandals in the state to be made into "no-entry zones". Sajal Ghosh, the …

Calcutta HC to hear plea seeking curb on Durga Puja festivities amid pandemic
4 years, 2 months ago

Calcutta HC to hear plea seeking curb on Durga Puja festivities amid pandemic

India Today  

The Calcutta High Court has agreed to hear a petition requesting a curb on Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We have filed public interest litigation challenging the decision of the state government to permit the clubs to hold Durgotsav 2020,” the lawyer said, adding that the various guidelines issued by WHO, ICMR …

No pandals, no processions, no fairs: Durga Puja to be a low-key affair in UP this year
4 years, 3 months ago

No pandals, no processions, no fairs: Durga Puja to be a low-key affair in UP this year

India Today  

In view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced that public events to celebrate Durga Puja will not be allowed in the state. According to reports, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that “no celebrations will be allowed to take place on the streets or pandals”. Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has …

This Durga Puja, it's safety first
4 years, 4 months ago

This Durga Puja, it's safety first

India Today  

The goddess Durga is all about fighting and vanquishing the evil, and there are no prizes for guessing the villain of choice this year. The Gouri Bari puja committee’s idol, for instance, will not only sport a silver mask, but her many hands this year, each one gloved, will, instead of sporting her usual weapons of war, carry the weapons …

Missing Kolkata-like Durga Puja in NCR? Head straight to this eco-friendly pandal in Gurugram
5 years, 3 months ago

Missing Kolkata-like Durga Puja in NCR? Head straight to this eco-friendly pandal in Gurugram

India TV News  

It is Pujo time. Eco-friendly Durga Puja pandal in Gurugram Sahasrabdi Durga Puja Committee in Sector-31, Gurugram, celebrates the festival in the most authentic way. Eco-friendly Durga Puja pandal in Gurugram Besides this, artisans from West Bengal and Mumbai have been roped in for the performances to make it a memorable event. Eco-friendly Durga Puja pandal in Gurugram The committee …

Kanglapahari village in WB is celebrating Durga Puja since 2016
5 years, 3 months ago

Kanglapahari village in WB is celebrating Durga Puja since 2016

Op India  

A news report has been doing the rounds on social media which is being used to claim that Hindus from Kanglapahari village in West Bengal are being denied permission to celebrate Durga Puja due to objection from Muslims. Fourth year in a row 300 Hindu families unable to perform Durga puja in Bengal’s Kanglapahari village aftr opposition by 25Muslim families …

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