First time in the history of Durga Puja in Bengal, women priests to perform rituals

By breaking into traditional male bastions, a tiny group of women is making a loud plea for gender equality during Durga Puja.

Female priests are rare and not the norm in India, but at 66 Pally Durga Puja, four female priests violated centuries-old customs, making this Durga Puja in Kolkata historic.

All the ceremonies to honour the Goddess Maha Shakti are being carried out by Nandini Bhowmick, Ruma Roy, Seymanti Banerjee, and Poulomi Chakroborty!

The 66 Pally Club in south Kolkata has ventured into uncharted territory with its theme 'Mayer Haate Mayer Abahon' (Mothers worshipping the Mother Goddess).

The organisation, known as 'Shubhamastu,' was founded 12 years ago and has already presided over numerous Hindu rituals such as marriages, shraddha, and grihapravesh around the city.

It is led by Nandini, a former Sanskrit professor and stage performer.

This will be the first time they have held a communal Durga Puja.

The 'Shubhamastu' organisation asserts that, unlike traditional priest groups, there is no leader or head priestess.

They hope to educate people on how to do rituals while adhering to age-old customs, as well as encourage more women to come out and explore areas where they have not previously ventured.

(With inputs from agencies)