Kajol, Ranbir Kapoor and other celebrities step out for Durga Puja celebration - See pics

Its festive season in India and people across the country are celebrating Durga Puja. WION brings this exclusive report from the Indian city of Kolkata.

WION Dispatch | India celebrates Goddess Durga; 'pandals' with themes to spread awareness

Durga Puja festival has finally begun and like every year this year also scores of celebrities were spotted participating in the Durga Puja and seeking the blessing of Goddess Durga.

Durga Puja festival has finally begun and like every year this year also scores of celebrities were spotted participating in the Durga Puja and seeking the blessing of Goddess Durga. Bollywood actress Kajol participated in the three-day long festival with her mother and veteran actress Tanuja, her sister Tanishaa Mukerji and her son Yug at Durga puja pandals in Juhu, Mumbai. For the first day, Kajol was clad in a yellow saree with gold detailing all over it. She complimented her look with minimal makeup and soft curls. Her sister Tanishaa was looking beautiful in the yellow colour Sharara. For the second day of the puja, the 'Tanhaji' actress was looking breathtaking in a bright red colour silk saree. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tanishaa Mukerji (@tanishaamukerji) × Kajol has also shared a video from the celebration showing the actress with her son Yug as they serve food to the devotees. ''So proud of my son serving at the puja mistakes and all.. the tradition continues,'' she wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kajol Devgan (@kajol) × For the second day, Tanishaa was looking elegant in a white organza saree. Sharing pictures on her Instagram account and wrote, “Septami Is always so special ! The first anjali we all give together ❤️ ! @kajol and eating the yummy bhog 😋” Rani Mukerji was also spotted at the puja pandal with other Mukerji family members. The actress stepped out wearing a green and purple colour silk saree. She tied her hair tightly in a bun and was wearing a choker necklace. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ayan Mukerji (@ayan_mukerji) × Rani posed with the actress Sumona Chakravarti at the Durga pandal. The actress was wearing a yellow colour saree. Director Ayan Mukerji who is curruntly basking the success of his recently released 'Brahmastra' was also spotted at the celebration. He has also shared few pictures on his Instagram account.

In pics: Kajol, Rani Mukerji attend Durga Puja celebrations in Mumbai

5 saree drape styles you must try this Durga Puja

Meanwhile its festive season in India and people across the country are celebrating Durga Puja. It's a 10-day festival which celebrates the deity goddess Durga. UNESCO has recognised Durga festival as a 'global event'. Watch this report!

The festive spirit of Durga Puja: Innovative 'Pandals' attract big crowds

In December 2021, `Durga Puja in Kolkata’ was included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. A team of officials of UNESCO have already arrived in Kolkata to witness the Durga Puja celebrations in person.

UNESCO team in Kolkata to witness the Durga Puja celebrations in person

No celebration is complete without great food. And, since we are just days away from Durga Puja, it's only apt that we start prepping for some delicious delicacies that we can enjoy with our friends and families during the festivities.

Be it sweet or savoury, several Durga Puja dishes deserve a spot on your dining table. We have listed some must-try dishes for Durga Puja. Check them out below.!

Durga Puja 2022 dishes

<ol>
	<li>Mishti Doi - This sweet curd can be enjoyed alone or with a savoury dish</li>
	<li>Shondesh - This is Bengal's most popular sweet dish. It is made of milk and sugar</li>
	<li>Payasam -&nbsp;This dish is made of milk, vermicelli and loads of dry fruits</li>
	<li>Rasgulla - Everyone's all-time favourite sweet dish must be a part of the festivities</li>
	<li>Khire ke pakode - These fritters are great for evening snacks</li>
	<li>Kichuri -&nbsp;This dish is made with rice and lentils. They are widely served in pandals during the festive days</li>
	<li>Kosha mutton -&nbsp;This gravy dish is enjoyed with plain rice or Lucchi</li>
	<li>Lucchi -&nbsp;Lucchi is made of all-purpose flour. They are deep fried and taste great with other gravies and savoury dishes</li>
</ol>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-durga-puja-2022-heres-how-you-can-dress-up-for-the-indian-festival-517062" hreflang="en">Durga Puja 2022: Here's how you can dress up for the Indian festival</a>

Durga Puja dates

This year, Durga Puja will be celebrated from October 1st to 5th.&nbsp;

Durga Puja significance

The festival pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga and it is also celebrated because of Maa Durga's victory over shape-shifting asura Mahishasur. The day celebrates the victory of good over evil.

No celebration is complete without great food. And, since we are just days away from Durga Puja, it's only apt that we start prepping for some delicious delicacies that we can enjoy with our friends and families during the festivities.

No celebration is complete without great food. And, since we are just days away from Durga Puja, it's only apt that we start prepping for some delicious delicacies that we can enjoy with our friends and families during the festivities. Be it sweet or savoury, several Durga Puja dishes deserve a spot on your dining table. We have listed some must-try dishes for Durga Puja. Check them out below.! Durga Puja 2022 dishes Mishti Doi - This sweet curd can be enjoyed alone or with a savoury dish Shondesh - This is Bengal's most popular sweet dish. It is made of milk and sugar Payasam - This dish is made of milk, vermicelli and loads of dry fruits Rasgulla - Everyone's all-time favourite sweet dish must be a part of the festivities Khire ke pakode - These fritters are great for evening snacks Kichuri - This dish is made with rice and lentils. They are widely served in pandals during the festive days Kosha mutton - This gravy dish is enjoyed with plain rice or Lucchi Lucchi - Lucchi is made of all-purpose flour. They are deep fried and taste great with other gravies and savoury dishes Also read: Durga Puja 2022: Here's how you can dress up for the Indian festival Durga Puja dates This year, Durga Puja will be celebrated from October 1st to 5th. Durga Puja significance The festival pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga and it is also celebrated because of Maa Durga's victory over shape-shifting asura Mahishasur. The day celebrates the victory of good over evil.

Delicious Durga Puja cuisines you must try once

In a proud moment for all Indians, the grand festival of Durga Puja gets a UNESCO heritage tag. Durga Puja becomes the first festival in Asia to receive such an honour.

Indian festival Durga Puja becomes the first festival in Asia to receive UNESCO heritage tag

In a proud moment for India, UNESCO has inscribed 'Durga Puja' on its list of 'intangible cultural heritage of humanity'. The international honour only adds to the festival's prominence. Palki Sharma tells you how.

Gravitas: UNESCO says Durga Puja is an 'intangible cultural heritage of humanity'

UN heritage list: India's Durga Puja, Arabic calligraphy and others added to the list in 2021

UNESCO has inscribed "Durga Puja in Kolkata"&nbsp;on the representative list of "intangible cultural heritage of humanity".

The decision was made by the intergovernmental committee of UNESCO’s 2003 convention on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage during the 16th session held in France.

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Congratulations🇮🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DurgaPuja?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DurgaPuja</a> is now inscribed on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UNESCO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UNESCO</a> Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity! 
14 ICH elements from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> have been inscribed on this list by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage <a href="https://t.co/TQMqejgxBS">pic.twitter.com/TQMqejgxBS</a>
— UNESCO New Delhi (@unesconewdelhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/unesconewdelhi/status/1471077887856066564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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UNESCO's committee commended Durga Puja for its initiatives to involve marginalised groups and individuals including women&nbsp;during Durga Puja.&nbsp;

With the inclusion of the Durga Puja on its list, India now has 14 "intangible cultural heritage" elements on UNESCO's representative list on intangible cultural heritage including Kumbh Mela and Yoga.

India is a signatory of the 2003 UNESCO convention which aims at safeguarding intangible heritage.

According to UNESCO, intangible cultural heritage is defined by "practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills including instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated with communities&nbsp;and groups". It also recognises individuals in some cases as a part of "cultural heritage".&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Durga Puja in Kolkata joins the <a href="https://twitter.com/UNESCO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UNESCO</a> Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is a recognition of the confluence of our rich heritage, culture, rituals &amp; practices and a celebration of the feminine divinity &amp; the spirit of womanhood. 
Jai Maa Durga! <a href="https://t.co/i4lNCfwWn7">pic.twitter.com/i4lNCfwWn7</a>
— G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) <a href="https://twitter.com/kishanreddybjp/status/1471086759161196544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Applauding the decision, India's culture and tourism minister G Kishan Reddy said the recognition is a "celebration of feminine divinity and the spirit of womanhood".

(With inputs from Agencies)

UNESCO has inscribed "Durga Puja in Kolkata" on the representative list of "intangible cultural heritage of humanity". The decision was made by the intergovernmental committee of UNESCO’s 2003 convention on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage during the 16th session held in France.

UNESCO has inscribed "Durga Puja in Kolkata" on the representative list of "intangible cultural heritage of humanity". The decision was made by the intergovernmental committee of UNESCO’s 2003 convention on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage during the 16th session held in France. Congratulations🇮🇳 #DurgaPuja is now inscribed on the #UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity! 14 ICH elements from #India have been inscribed on this list by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage pic.twitter.com/TQMqejgxBS — UNESCO New Delhi (@unesconewdelhi) December 15, 2021 × UNESCO's committee commended Durga Puja for its initiatives to involve marginalised groups and individuals including women during Durga Puja. With the inclusion of the Durga Puja on its list, India now has 14 "intangible cultural heritage" elements on UNESCO's representative list on intangible cultural heritage including Kumbh Mela and Yoga. India is a signatory of the 2003 UNESCO convention which aims at safeguarding intangible heritage. According to UNESCO, intangible cultural heritage is defined by "practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills including instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated with communities and groups". It also recognises individuals in some cases as a part of "cultural heritage". Durga Puja in Kolkata joins the @UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is a recognition of the confluence of our rich heritage, culture, rituals & practices and a celebration of the feminine divinity & the spirit of womanhood. Jai Maa Durga! pic.twitter.com/i4lNCfwWn7 — G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) December 15, 2021 × Applauding the decision, India's culture and tourism minister G Kishan Reddy said the recognition is a "celebration of feminine divinity and the spirit of womanhood". (With inputs from Agencies)

UNESCO declares ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ as 'intangible cultural heritage of humanity'

Former US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard while condemning the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh which erupted during Durga Puja said that, "for jihadists to believe it's pleasing to God to burn and destroy temples shows how far away from God they really are."

In a series of tweets, Gabbard spoke out against violence which started last week. "It broke my heart to see such hate and violence directed towards devotees of God in their temples in Bangladesh," the former US Congresswoman said.

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Violence against Hindus in Bangladesh: for jihadists to believe it's pleasing to God to burn and destroy temples shows how far away from God they really are. <a href="https://t.co/uoYFxqAnfz">pic.twitter.com/uoYFxqAnfz</a>
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) <a href="https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1450975896920203267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The violence reportedly erupted after an alleged "blasphemy incident" in Comilla where the Hindu holy festival of Durga Puja was taking place.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-anti-hindu-violence-man-placing-holy-quran-at-comilla-shrine-identified-as-iqbal-hossain-422522">Also Read:&nbsp;Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence: Man identified as Iqbal Hossain</a>

The violence spread to several locations in Comilla as Hindu shops were reportedly targeted. At least 40 people were injured in the clashes.

Gabbard said, "It is time for the supposedly secular government of Bangladesh to protect that country’s religious minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists, from the jihadist forces of hate."&nbsp;

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(1) It broke my heart to see such hate and violence directed towards devotees of God in their temples in Bangladesh. For these jihadists to believe it’s pleasing to God to burn and destroy temples and the murti of such a saintly person … <a href="https://t.co/ZJUzlJTGJq">pic.twitter.com/ZJUzlJTGJq</a>
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) <a href="https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1450771369893892098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The ex-US Congresswoman while slamming the violence and those behind it, added: "God is love, and his true servants embody and manifest that love in this world."

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had also condemned the violence as authorities deployed paramilitary forces to establish peace in the area.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-violence-police-arrests-hundreds-for-violence-against-hindus-422045">Also Read:&nbsp;Bangladesh violence: Police arrests hundreds for violence against Hindus</a>

The police have reportedly identified the person behind the incident who triggered the violence. A 35-year-old man from Sujanagar area in Comilla was identified after authorities reviewed CCTV footage, although, reports said he hasn't been arrested.

Police have reportedly arrested 41 people involved in the incident even as four cases have been filed.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Former US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard while condemning the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh which erupted during Durga Puja said that, "for jihadists to believe it's pleasing to God to burn and destroy temples shows how far away from God they really are.

Former US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard while condemning the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh which erupted during Durga Puja said that, "for jihadists to believe it's pleasing to God to burn and destroy temples shows how far away from God they really are." In a series of tweets, Gabbard spoke out against violence which started last week. "It broke my heart to see such hate and violence directed towards devotees of God in their temples in Bangladesh," the former US Congresswoman said. Violence against Hindus in Bangladesh: for jihadists to believe it's pleasing to God to burn and destroy temples shows how far away from God they really are. pic.twitter.com/uoYFxqAnfz — Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) October 21, 2021 × The violence reportedly erupted after an alleged "blasphemy incident" in Comilla where the Hindu holy festival of Durga Puja was taking place. Also Read: Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence: Man identified as Iqbal Hossain The violence spread to several locations in Comilla as Hindu shops were reportedly targeted. At least 40 people were injured in the clashes. Gabbard said, "It is time for the supposedly secular government of Bangladesh to protect that country’s religious minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists, from the jihadist forces of hate." (1) It broke my heart to see such hate and violence directed towards devotees of God in their temples in Bangladesh. For these jihadists to believe it’s pleasing to God to burn and destroy temples and the murti of such a saintly person … pic.twitter.com/ZJUzlJTGJq — Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) October 20, 2021 × The ex-US Congresswoman while slamming the violence and those behind it, added: "God is love, and his true servants embody and manifest that love in this world." Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had also condemned the violence as authorities deployed paramilitary forces to establish peace in the area. Also Read: Bangladesh violence: Police arrests hundreds for violence against Hindus The police have reportedly identified the person behind the incident who triggered the violence. A 35-year-old man from Sujanagar area in Comilla was identified after authorities reviewed CCTV footage, although, reports said he hasn't been arrested. Police have reportedly arrested 41 people involved in the incident even as four cases have been filed. (With inputs from Agencies)

For jihadists to believe it's pleasing to God: Tulsi Gabbard condemns Durga Puja violence in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the Hindu community on Thursday that they will continue to have equal rights and be able to openly celebrate their festivals, while also threatening those who engaged in violence and destruction at temples and Durga Puja pandals in Comilla and elsewhere.&nbsp;

"You are considered as citizens of this country. You live in equal rights. You will enjoy equal rights. You will observe your religion and celebrate festivals with equal rights. That`s what we want. This is the real policy of our Bangladesh and our ideal.I urge you again never to think of yourself as a minority," she said.

"We are getting a lot of information and of course we will find out who is behind the provocation to destroy the communal harmony... strong action will be taken against those no matter which religion they belong to. I want to remind all; Bangladesh is a land of communal harmony. Here, people of all faiths will live together and will practice their own religion," she said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/hindu-temples-durga-puja-pandals-vandalised-in-bangladesh-4-killed-420683">Also Read |&nbsp;Hindu temples, Durga puja pandals vandalised in Bangladesh, 4 killed</a>

The prime minister made the remarks while addressing members of the Hindu community at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka on the occasion of Durga Puja. 
 
She joined the event via video conference from Ganabhaban. 
 
<img alt="BAngladesh-riot" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="233f6b85-9baa-48a0-9a2c-1089891db6d8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2815%29_36.jpg" /> 
 
A vandalise temple is seen in Comilla on October 14, 2021. (AFP Photo) 
 
She called the vandalism of temples in Cumilla "extremely sad," adding that such actions may be carried out by individuals who lack the confidence and trust of the people and lack ideas.&nbsp;

"We are getting a large amount of information. We will definitely trace those who carried out the attacks.&nbsp;This is the age of technology," she added." They must be found. 
 
<img alt="Durga Puja festival " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="54643ffb-84b2-4c53-b914-53f025fb4c70" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2816%29_28.jpg" /> 
 
Police stand guard next to a vandalised temporary place of worship set up on the occasion of Durga Puja festival in Comilla on October 14, 2021. (AFP Photo)

We have done so in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

They must face the appropriate penalty.

"Exemplary punishment would be meted out so that no one dares to engage in this sort of occurrence in the future," the prime minister stated, according to the Dhaka Tribune.

She also urged everyone to work together and be watchful in order to prevent such horrific actions from happening again.

She stated that in Bangladesh, people of all castes, creeds, and religions celebrate all holidays together, adding, "Religion is for individuals, and celebration is for everybody, and we enjoy every festival together."&nbsp;

According to Hasina, the Cumilla event came at a time when the country was going at full speed toward development, and it was intended to stymie the nation's elevation and create a crisis in the country.

On Wednesday, emotions flared among a section of Cumilla residents when reports of an alleged destruction of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja location on the bank of Nanuar Dighi spread on social media.

At one point, the situation became out of control, and rioting extended to a number other Puja locations in the surrounding districts.

The local administration and police were attacked while attempting to restore order, according to the Dhaka Tribune.&nbsp;

Similar incidences occurred in other districts around the nation on Wednesday night and Thursday, prompting the government to deploy Border Guard Bangladesh troopers along with extra law enforcement personnel in 22 districts.

Several individuals have been reported dead during skirmishes in Chandpur, while scores of people have been injured or detained by police enforcement in several districts up to this point.

A Hindu community leader requested the government's intervention during Thursday's ceremony, citing knowledge that some individuals are intending to harm them at the immersion of goddess Durga idols on Friday.

Prime Minister Hasina stated that they are aware of the situation and that steps have already been made to address it.

She urged Hindu leaders, particularly the Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Committee, to develop a policy determining how many Puja mandaps will be set up across the country to celebrate Durga Puja, while keeping in mind the limited number of security personnel available to ensure the mandaps' safety and security.&nbsp; 
 
She also asked the Hindu community not to regard themselves as a minority and to do their religious rites with the same privileges as followers of other religions because they were born and raised in the nation and fought side by side to free the country during the 1971 Liberation War.&nbsp;

"We believe that those who are born on the soil of this country and who are its children will practice their respective religions freely," she said.

She stated that her administration was devoted to promoting the wellbeing of all people, regardless of caste, creed, or religion, while highlighting several efforts done by her government to improve the Hindu population. 
 
Hasina stated that Bangladesh's dignity has been established on the world stage as it has evolved into a developing nation, adding, "We want the country to be developed and affluent by 2041 while maintaining the dignity." 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the Hindu community on Thursday that they will continue to have equal rights and be able to openly celebrate their festivals, while also threatening those who engaged in violence and destruction at temples and Durga Puja pandals in Comilla and elsewhere.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the Hindu community on Thursday that they will continue to have equal rights and be able to openly celebrate their festivals, while also threatening those who engaged in violence and destruction at temples and Durga Puja pandals in Comilla and elsewhere. "You are considered as citizens of this country. You live in equal rights. You will enjoy equal rights. You will observe your religion and celebrate festivals with equal rights. That`s what we want. This is the real policy of our Bangladesh and our ideal.I urge you again never to think of yourself as a minority," she said. "We are getting a lot of information and of course we will find out who is behind the provocation to destroy the communal harmony... strong action will be taken against those no matter which religion they belong to. I want to remind all; Bangladesh is a land of communal harmony. Here, people of all faiths will live together and will practice their own religion," she said. Also Read | Hindu temples, Durga puja pandals vandalised in Bangladesh, 4 killed The prime minister made the remarks while addressing members of the Hindu community at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka on the occasion of Durga Puja. She joined the event via video conference from Ganabhaban. A vandalise temple is seen in Comilla on October 14, 2021. (AFP Photo) She called the vandalism of temples in Cumilla "extremely sad," adding that such actions may be carried out by individuals who lack the confidence and trust of the people and lack ideas. "We are getting a large amount of information. We will definitely trace those who carried out the attacks. This is the age of technology," she added." They must be found. Police stand guard next to a vandalised temporary place of worship set up on the occasion of Durga Puja festival in Comilla on October 14, 2021. (AFP Photo) We have done so in the past and will continue to do so in the future. They must face the appropriate penalty. "Exemplary punishment would be meted out so that no one dares to engage in this sort of occurrence in the future," the prime minister stated, according to the Dhaka Tribune. She also urged everyone to work together and be watchful in order to prevent such horrific actions from happening again. She stated that in Bangladesh, people of all castes, creeds, and religions celebrate all holidays together, adding, "Religion is for individuals, and celebration is for everybody, and we enjoy every festival together." According to Hasina, the Cumilla event came at a time when the country was going at full speed toward development, and it was intended to stymie the nation's elevation and create a crisis in the country. On Wednesday, emotions flared among a section of Cumilla residents when reports of an alleged destruction of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja location on the bank of Nanuar Dighi spread on social media. At one point, the situation became out of control, and rioting extended to a number other Puja locations in the surrounding districts. The local administration and police were attacked while attempting to restore order, according to the Dhaka Tribune. Similar incidences occurred in other districts around the nation on Wednesday night and Thursday, prompting the government to deploy Border Guard Bangladesh troopers along with extra law enforcement personnel in 22 districts. Several individuals have been reported dead during skirmishes in Chandpur, while scores of people have been injured or detained by police enforcement in several districts up to this point. A Hindu community leader requested the government's intervention during Thursday's ceremony, citing knowledge that some individuals are intending to harm them at the immersion of goddess Durga idols on Friday. Prime Minister Hasina stated that they are aware of the situation and that steps have already been made to address it. She urged Hindu leaders, particularly the Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Committee, to develop a policy determining how many Puja mandaps will be set up across the country to celebrate Durga Puja, while keeping in mind the limited number of security personnel available to ensure the mandaps' safety and security. She also asked the Hindu community not to regard themselves as a minority and to do their religious rites with the same privileges as followers of other religions because they were born and raised in the nation and fought side by side to free the country during the 1971 Liberation War. "We believe that those who are born on the soil of this country and who are its children will practice their respective religions freely," she said. She stated that her administration was devoted to promoting the wellbeing of all people, regardless of caste, creed, or religion, while highlighting several efforts done by her government to improve the Hindu population. Hasina stated that Bangladesh's dignity has been established on the world stage as it has evolved into a developing nation, adding, "We want the country to be developed and affluent by 2041 while maintaining the dignity." (With inputs from agencies)

Those attacking Durga Puja pandals will be hunted down, punished: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

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.&nbsp;

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.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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.

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)

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

As the much-awaited Durga Puja festivities begin from Thursday, a picture of Chinese President Xi Jinping replacing the demon has gone viral on social media.

Chinese President Xi Jinping Replaces ‘Asur’ in Bengal’s Durga Idol

Invoking Goddess Durga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reaffirmed his government's irrevocable commitment to women's empowerment.

Reaching out to the people of West Bengal during the state's biggest festival, the prime minister said though it was being celebrated on a limited scale due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the "enthusiasm is still unlimited".

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/30-lakh-central-government-employees-to-get-rs3737-crore-bonus-by-next-week-336904">30 lakh Central government employees to get ₹3,737 crore bonus by next week</a>

Noting that Goddess Durga was worshipped as a symbol of 'Shakti' (strength), Modi said his government was consistently working for the empowerment of women.

"From opening Jan Dhan accounts for 22 crore women, giving soft loans to them under the Mudra Yojana, to launching Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao initiative, granting permanent commission to women in the armed forces and extending maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks, we have taken a number of steps for their empowerment," he told a gathering at Durga Puja celebration organised by the BJP.

He also said anti-rape laws were made more stringent to include death penalty.

"We are alert towards the security of women," he said.

The prime minister's remark came in the backdrop of a string of incidents of rape and murder of women, including the Hathras incident that shocked the nation and triggered outrage against the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh.

The prime minister recalled the contributions of reformers from Bengal like Ram Mohun Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, spiritual leaders Ramkrishna Paramhans and Swami Vivekananda, cultural giant Rabindranath Tagore, and revolutionaries like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Khudiram Bose in shaping India's national identity.

Durga Puja, he said, was the epitome of pluralism and reflected the collective strength of India.

The BJP had made elaborate arrangements for live viewing of the prime minister's virtual address from the national capital.

The event was televised live at over 78,000 polling booths across the state's 294 assembly constituencies.

Assembly polls are likely in West Bengal around April-May next year.&nbsp;

Invoking Goddess Durga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reaffirmed his government's irrevocable commitment to women's empowerment. Reaching out to the people of West Bengal during the state's biggest festival, the prime minister said though it was being celebrated on a limited scale due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the "enthusiasm is still unlimited".

Invoking Goddess Durga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reaffirmed his government's irrevocable commitment to women's empowerment. Reaching out to the people of West Bengal during the state's biggest festival, the prime minister said though it was being celebrated on a limited scale due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the "enthusiasm is still unlimited". Also read | 30 lakh Central government employees to get ₹3,737 crore bonus by next week Noting that Goddess Durga was worshipped as a symbol of 'Shakti' (strength), Modi said his government was consistently working for the empowerment of women. "From opening Jan Dhan accounts for 22 crore women, giving soft loans to them under the Mudra Yojana, to launching Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao initiative, granting permanent commission to women in the armed forces and extending maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks, we have taken a number of steps for their empowerment," he told a gathering at Durga Puja celebration organised by the BJP. He also said anti-rape laws were made more stringent to include death penalty. "We are alert towards the security of women," he said. The prime minister's remark came in the backdrop of a string of incidents of rape and murder of women, including the Hathras incident that shocked the nation and triggered outrage against the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh. The prime minister recalled the contributions of reformers from Bengal like Ram Mohun Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, spiritual leaders Ramkrishna Paramhans and Swami Vivekananda, cultural giant Rabindranath Tagore, and revolutionaries like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Khudiram Bose in shaping India's national identity. Durga Puja, he said, was the epitome of pluralism and reflected the collective strength of India. The BJP had made elaborate arrangements for live viewing of the prime minister's virtual address from the national capital. The event was televised live at over 78,000 polling booths across the state's 294 assembly constituencies. Assembly polls are likely in West Bengal around April-May next year.

PM Modi invokes Durga to reaffirm commitment to women's empowerment

392 new festival special trains -&nbsp;&nbsp;The festive season is just around the corner and number of people intending to travel to their hometowns and other places within the country is expected to rise. Keeping this massive demand in mind, Indian Railways has decided to run 392 special trains during the festive season.

These special trains will be operated from October 20 to November 30.

"To clear the festive rush, Ministry of Railways has approved 196 pairs (392 trains) of “Festival Special” services over Indian Railways to be operated from 20th October 2020 and 30th November 2020. Zonal Railways will notify their schedule in advance," The railways announced on October 13.

Check out the full list of&nbsp;392 new festival special trains -&nbsp;&nbsp;

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392 new festival special trains list-&nbsp;&nbsp;

The trains will mainly be run for destinations such as Kolkata, Patna, Lucknow among others to facilitate travel during festivals such as Durga Puja, Diwali, Chath Puja and more

Ticket price for these trains will be at par with the special trains. These trains will mostly have third AC coaches.

392 new festival special trains - The festive season is just around the corner and number of people intending to travel to their hometowns and other places within the country is expected to rise.

392 new festival special trains - The festive season is just around the corner and number of people intending to travel to their hometowns and other places within the country is expected to rise. Keeping this massive demand in mind, Indian Railways has decided to run 392 special trains during the festive season. These special trains will be operated from October 20 to November 30. "To clear the festive rush, Ministry of Railways has approved 196 pairs (392 trains) of “Festival Special” services over Indian Railways to be operated from 20th October 2020 and 30th November 2020. Zonal Railways will notify their schedule in advance," The railways announced on October 13. Check out the full list of 392 new festival special trains - pic.twitter.com/QdBjR3JufV — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) October 13, 2020 × pic.twitter.com/QdBjR3JufV — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) October 13, 2020 × 392 new festival special trains list- The trains will mainly be run for destinations such as Kolkata, Patna, Lucknow among others to facilitate travel during festivals such as Durga Puja, Diwali, Chath Puja and more Ticket price for these trains will be at par with the special trains. These trains will mostly have third AC coaches.

Indian Railways to run 392 special trains during festive season

Two Durga Puja Pandals in India's West Bengal have decided to pay tribute to migrant workers of the country and their struggles amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

India: Two Durga Puja pandals in West Bengal depict migrant workers

Bengalis settled in various countries are taking online lessons to perform Durga Puja rituals themselves as the COVID-19 outbreak has forced priests from West Bengal to cancel their international travel plans.

Several priests from the state used to make annual journeys to countries from the United States to Japan to perform Durga Puja rituals for Bengalis settled there.

However, the coronavirus outbreak has changed the situation.

On being requested by several Bengalis settled abroad, an organisation, Sarva Bharatiya Prachya Vidya Academy, has decided to conduct online training sessions for Brahmins on September 27 and October 4, its founder Jayanta Kushari said on Wednesday.

They will be trained to perform 'yagna', 'ghot puja' (worshipping an urn symbolising the goddess) and other rituals of Durga Puja, he said.

"The COVID-19 outbreak has restricted our movement but Durga Puja cannot wait. After being requested by friends in India and abroad, we decided to conduct digital workshops where all puja rituals will be taught," Kushari told PTI.

The workshops will be held at a time convenient for all participants across different time zones, he said.

The organisation has been conducting workshops for people willing to work as priests apart from their regular jobs.

It had last month conducted a similar online session for 175 people in front of the semi-finished Durga idol at Shobhabazar Rajbari in north Kolkata.

"More people can attend online sessions than in physical workshops in the present scenario. This might be the norm even in post-COVID times," Kushari said.

Kolkata-based priest Srikanto Chakraborty said he is looking for offers from puja committees across the state after his regular London-based client informed him they are not organising Durga Puja this year.

Bengalis settled in various countries are taking online lessons to perform Durga Puja rituals themselves as the COVID-19 outbreak has forced priests from West Bengal to cancel their international travel plans.

Bengalis settled in various countries are taking online lessons to perform Durga Puja rituals themselves as the COVID-19 outbreak has forced priests from West Bengal to cancel their international travel plans. Several priests from the state used to make annual journeys to countries from the United States to Japan to perform Durga Puja rituals for Bengalis settled there. However, the coronavirus outbreak has changed the situation. On being requested by several Bengalis settled abroad, an organisation, Sarva Bharatiya Prachya Vidya Academy, has decided to conduct online training sessions for Brahmins on September 27 and October 4, its founder Jayanta Kushari said on Wednesday. They will be trained to perform 'yagna', 'ghot puja' (worshipping an urn symbolising the goddess) and other rituals of Durga Puja, he said. "The COVID-19 outbreak has restricted our movement but Durga Puja cannot wait. After being requested by friends in India and abroad, we decided to conduct digital workshops where all puja rituals will be taught," Kushari told PTI. The workshops will be held at a time convenient for all participants across different time zones, he said. The organisation has been conducting workshops for people willing to work as priests apart from their regular jobs. It had last month conducted a similar online session for 175 people in front of the semi-finished Durga idol at Shobhabazar Rajbari in north Kolkata. "More people can attend online sessions than in physical workshops in the present scenario. This might be the norm even in post-COVID times," Kushari said. Kolkata-based priest Srikanto Chakraborty said he is looking for offers from puja committees across the state after his regular London-based client informed him they are not organising Durga Puja this year.

COVID-19 forces Bengalis settled abroad to learn Durga Puja rituals online

In a bid to promote Bengali cinema, the West Bengal government has issued a directive to cinema halls across the state to screen Bengali films during the upcoming festival of Durga Puja.&nbsp; 
 
The directive has come from the Information and Cultural Department of the state government and states cinema halls to screen Bengali films in primetime throughout the festival.&nbsp; 
 
Every year, filmmakers cash in on the festive period and schedule the release of big-budget films at that time. This year too, several big-ticket Bengali films are lined up for release during Durga Puja.&nbsp; 
 
Srijit Mukherjee’s ‘Gumnaami’ featuring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Dev Adhikari’s ‘Password’ are among the 6 films that are lined up for release the next week. They will be clashing with Todd Phillips ‘Joker’ and YRF’s ‘War’- which release at the same time.&nbsp; 
 
According to reports, several Bengali film produicers had appealed to CM Mamata Banerjee to intervene as cinema halls were giving their films limited screens compared to Hindi releases.&nbsp; 
 
Last year too, a similar directive was issued in the state to encourage Bengali films and increase their earnings.&nbsp;

In a bid to promote Bengali cinema, the West Bengal government has issued a directive to cinema halls across the state to screen Bengali films during the upcoming festival of Durga Puja.

In a bid to promote Bengali cinema, the West Bengal government has issued a directive to cinema halls across the state to screen Bengali films during the upcoming festival of Durga Puja. The directive has come from the Information and Cultural Department of the state government and states cinema halls to screen Bengali films in primetime throughout the festival. Every year, filmmakers cash in on the festive period and schedule the release of big-budget films at that time. This year too, several big-ticket Bengali films are lined up for release during Durga Puja. Srijit Mukherjee’s ‘Gumnaami’ featuring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Dev Adhikari’s ‘Password’ are among the 6 films that are lined up for release the next week. They will be clashing with Todd Phillips ‘Joker’ and YRF’s ‘War’- which release at the same time. According to reports, several Bengali film produicers had appealed to CM Mamata Banerjee to intervene as cinema halls were giving their films limited screens compared to Hindi releases. Last year too, a similar directive was issued in the state to encourage Bengali films and increase their earnings.

West Bengal govt instructs cinema halls in the state to screen Bengali films during Durga Puja

At a time when West Bengal is reeling under a debt burden, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced a Durga Puja ‘gift’ to the organisers that would cost the state exchequer as much as Rs 70 crore.

As many as 3,000 Durga Pujas are organized in Kolkata, while the rest of Bengal witnesses over 25,000 Durga Pujas pandals across the state. Each of these 28,000 Durga Puja committees would be 'gifted' Rs 25,000 increased from Rs 10,000 given last year.

Banerjee also announced an additional Rs 5,000 for the Durga Puja committees which are managed by women only. This apart, she also announced that CESC and WBSEDCL – electricity supply boards in Kolkata and West Bengal - respectively will offer a 25 per cent concession on the total electricity bill of each of the puja pandals. &nbsp;

“We are a poor man’s government but we still try our best for the Durga puja committees. Instead of Rs 10,000 given last year, we are increasing it to Rs 25,000 this year. I am aware that the economic condition of the Durga puja committees is not very well and the electricity unit prices have also risen hence we are offering a 25 per cent discount on electricity bills. Kolkata Municipal Corporation tax has also been eradicated,” said Banerjee.

The Mamata Banerjee-government inherited a debt of around Rs 2 lakh crore from the Left Front government when it came to power back in 2011. However, the chief minister and state finance minister Amit Mitra have been raising the issue of a waiver of the debt time and again with the Centre.&nbsp;

While the total loan repayment figure for the year 2018-19 stood at Rs 49,656 crore, it rose to Rs 56,183.16 crore for the year 2019-20.

This is not the first time when the Bengal government has announced Durga puja ‘gift’ for the puja committees. Last year, an amount of Rs 10,000 was given to as many as 28,000 puja committees costing an amount of Rs 28 crore to the state exchequer.

At a time when West Bengal is reeling under a debt burden, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced a Durga Puja ‘gift’ to the organisers that would cost the state exchequer as much as Rs 70 crore.

At a time when West Bengal is reeling under a debt burden, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced a Durga Puja ‘gift’ to the organisers that would cost the state exchequer as much as Rs 70 crore. As many as 3,000 Durga Pujas are organized in Kolkata, while the rest of Bengal witnesses over 25,000 Durga Pujas pandals across the state. Each of these 28,000 Durga Puja committees would be 'gifted' Rs 25,000 increased from Rs 10,000 given last year. Banerjee also announced an additional Rs 5,000 for the Durga Puja committees which are managed by women only. This apart, she also announced that CESC and WBSEDCL – electricity supply boards in Kolkata and West Bengal - respectively will offer a 25 per cent concession on the total electricity bill of each of the puja pandals. “We are a poor man’s government but we still try our best for the Durga puja committees. Instead of Rs 10,000 given last year, we are increasing it to Rs 25,000 this year. I am aware that the economic condition of the Durga puja committees is not very well and the electricity unit prices have also risen hence we are offering a 25 per cent discount on electricity bills. Kolkata Municipal Corporation tax has also been eradicated,” said Banerjee. The Mamata Banerjee-government inherited a debt of around Rs 2 lakh crore from the Left Front government when it came to power back in 2011. However, the chief minister and state finance minister Amit Mitra have been raising the issue of a waiver of the debt time and again with the Centre. While the total loan repayment figure for the year 2018-19 stood at Rs 49,656 crore, it rose to Rs 56,183.16 crore for the year 2019-20. This is not the first time when the Bengal government has announced Durga puja ‘gift’ for the puja committees. Last year, an amount of Rs 10,000 was given to as many as 28,000 puja committees costing an amount of Rs 28 crore to the state exchequer.

Debt-ridden Mamata Banerjee government 'gifts' Rs 70 crore to West Bengal Durga Puja organisers

The Padmaavat controversy had the entire nation hooked in the past few months. The controversy brought even the non-cinema lovers to opine on the matter and it became a part of the national discourse soon enough.&nbsp; 
 
The protests may have died down, but the film continues to dominate the Box Office worldwide, making a topic that is still being discussed everywhere. 
 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-reaches-nba-cheerleaders-dance-to-ghoomar-during-half-time-31293">The film has already </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-reaches-nba-cheerleaders-dance-to-ghoomar-during-half-time-31293">travelled</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-reaches-nba-cheerleaders-dance-to-ghoomar-during-half-time-31293"> to NBA</a> and now a Durga Puja Committee in Kolkata has decided to replicate the film&#39;s opulent sets into their pandal this year.&nbsp;

Sreebhumi Sporting Club in the eastern fringe of Kolkata will have Padmaavat as the core theme this year during Durga Puja. 
 
We try to theme our puja around the most discussed topic of the year and this year Padmaavat has been one of the most talked-about issues. We have decided that the pandal would be erected along the lines of the palace of Chittor as shown in the film,&quot;&nbsp;Sujit Bose, TMC MLA from Bidhannagar constituency, who is at the helm of the organising committee,&nbsp; told&nbsp;DNA. 
 
Sreebhumi Sporting Club had Baahubali 2 as its theme last year which attracted lakhs of visitors each day. 
 
Organisers believe that the theme would send out the message that Bengal believed in the freedom of speech and expression, and the basic right could not be throttled in the state. The state saw the hassle-free screening of the film without any opposition.&nbsp; 
 
In fact, Lokendra Kalvi, patron of Rajput Karni Sena, the organisation which had initiated the agitation against the film, had earlier said that they did not intend to put up a protest in Bengal. 
 
Earlier in November 2017, when the fate of the film was uncertain, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had welcomed makers of the film to Bengal. 
 
&quot;If they are unable to release the film in any other state, we are ready to make special arrangements for it in our state. Bengal will be happy and proud to do it. Sanjay Leela Bhansali and his Padmaavat team are welcome here,&quot; Mamata had said at an event.

Sreebhumi Sporting Club in the eastern fringe of Kolkata will have Padmaavat as the core theme this year during Durga Puja.

The Padmaavat controversy had the entire nation hooked in the past few months. The controversy brought even the non-cinema lovers to opine on the matter and it became a part of the national discourse soon enough. The protests may have died down, but the film continues to dominate the Box Office worldwide, making a topic that is still being discussed everywhere. The film has already travelled to NBA and now a Durga Puja Committee in Kolkata has decided to replicate the film's opulent sets into their pandal this year. Sreebhumi Sporting Club in the eastern fringe of Kolkata will have Padmaavat as the core theme this year during Durga Puja. We try to theme our puja around the most discussed topic of the year and this year Padmaavat has been one of the most talked-about issues. We have decided that the pandal would be erected along the lines of the palace of Chittor as shown in the film," Sujit Bose, TMC MLA from Bidhannagar constituency, who is at the helm of the organising committee, told DNA. Sreebhumi Sporting Club had Baahubali 2 as its theme last year which attracted lakhs of visitors each day. Organisers believe that the theme would send out the message that Bengal believed in the freedom of speech and expression, and the basic right could not be throttled in the state. The state saw the hassle-free screening of the film without any opposition. In fact, Lokendra Kalvi, patron of Rajput Karni Sena, the organisation which had initiated the agitation against the film, had earlier said that they did not intend to put up a protest in Bengal. Earlier in November 2017, when the fate of the film was uncertain, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had welcomed makers of the film to Bengal. "If they are unable to release the film in any other state, we are ready to make special arrangements for it in our state. Bengal will be happy and proud to do it. Sanjay Leela Bhansali and his Padmaavat team are welcome here," Mamata had said at an event.

Padmaavat to be the theme of a Kolkata Puja pandal this year

As Madame Tussaud is for wax modelling, Kumartuli is for clay modelling. As Durga Puja came to be celebrated as &#39;sarbojanin&#39; neighbourhood festival in Bengal, Kumartoli emerged as the most significant center of making clay models of Hindu deities. Situated in North Kolkata, Kumartoli, for decades, has been extremely dominated by men. The interference of women was strictly avoided. Possibly, such a prohibition could be derivative of Hindu Shastraic injunction against women reading religious texts. For long Hindu religion worshipped women but kept them at bay from playing a decisive role in the performance of religious rites.&nbsp; 
Fortunately, times are changing. Slowly but definitely. Clay modelling is a profession in which men are the leading actors but women of Kumartuli are also showing off their brilliance.

Few women in Kumartuli are setting the example for others. China Pal, Mala Pal, Kanchi Pal and Kakoli Pal. They are not only breaking the stereotypes but also doing a good business in Kumartuli among male artisans.

Miniature foldable idols

Mala Pal has been single-handedly taking care of her family studio for the last 3 decades. Mala&#39;s brother gave up and did not join the family business. At the age of 15, she had to quit school and started making Durga idols. Despite all hardships and financial problems, Mala emerged as the unvanquished fighter. She has won several state award for her work. Especially, her miniature foldable idols are very famous, and even get exported to UK, Germany and Canada. She is also training young girls to join the profession.

Transgender Durga

China Pal was trained by her father Hemant Pal. Her father died in 1994 since then, it is China who has taken sole responsibility of her father&#39;s studio. She said, &ldquo;After father&#39;s death, his regular customer came to me and that was very motivating&rdquo;. She is now a very famous artisan in Kumartuli. She also mentioned that this business requires a lot of investment at the initial stage. In 2015, she made an androgynous sculpture for a transgender community named Pratyay Gender Trust.

For the first time in the history of the public celebration of Durga Puja, &ldquo;Ardhanarishvara&rdquo; idol was worshipped that was crafted by China.

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Androgynous sculpture of goddess Durga (Others)
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An artist without a studio

Archana Pal took care of the studio when her husband Nrisimha Pal died. She then trained her daughter Kanchi Pal, and now Kanchi is standing neck to neck with other male artisans. She is giving definitely a stiff competition to others. Kanchi advocates the participation of a larger number of women idol-maker in the Kumartoli workforce.

Narrow and congested lanes of Kumartuli is a workplace for another women clay modeller Kakoli Pal. Kakoli doesn&#39;t have a studio. &ldquo;I have appealed to local authorities to provide me with a studio on rent&rdquo;, she said. She went through a lot of difficult time when her husband died and left her alone with two other children. She doesn&#39;t have any training in idol-making. She was just married off to a male artisan of Kumartuli. Pushed by misfortune, Kakoli just took a plunge in the profession of idol-making for her survival as well as that of her two daughters. And she pulled it off.

Kakoli also said, &ldquo;I cannot go to remote places to fetch material that is required for idol-making because of safety issues.&rdquo;

Mala, China, Kakoli and Kanchi, these women are making it really big in the eccentric and male-dominated profession and walking a path-less-taken and, thus, slowly removing the gender gap that exists in the craft and business of clay modelling.

Women of Kumartoli are taking to clay modelling and, thereby, changing the stronghold of gender prejudices that marked the profession

As Madame Tussaud is for wax modelling, Kumartuli is for clay modelling. As Durga Puja came to be celebrated as 'sarbojanin' neighbourhood festival in Bengal, Kumartoli emerged as the most significant center of making clay models of Hindu deities. Situated in North Kolkata, Kumartoli, for decades, has been extremely dominated by men. The interference of women was strictly avoided. Possibly, such a prohibition could be derivative of Hindu Shastraic injunction against women reading religious texts. For long Hindu religion worshipped women but kept them at bay from playing a decisive role in the performance of religious rites. Fortunately, times are changing. Slowly but definitely. Clay modelling is a profession in which men are the leading actors but women of Kumartuli are also showing off their brilliance. Few women in Kumartuli are setting the example for others. China Pal, Mala Pal, Kanchi Pal and Kakoli Pal. They are not only breaking the stereotypes but also doing a good business in Kumartuli among male artisans. Miniature foldable idols Mala Pal has been single-handedly taking care of her family studio for the last 3 decades. Mala's brother gave up and did not join the family business. At the age of 15, she had to quit school and started making Durga idols. Despite all hardships and financial problems, Mala emerged as the unvanquished fighter. She has won several state award for her work. Especially, her miniature foldable idols are very famous, and even get exported to UK, Germany and Canada. She is also training young girls to join the profession. Transgender Durga China Pal was trained by her father Hemant Pal. Her father died in 1994 since then, it is China who has taken sole responsibility of her father's studio. She said, “After father's death, his regular customer came to me and that was very motivating”. She is now a very famous artisan in Kumartuli. She also mentioned that this business requires a lot of investment at the initial stage. In 2015, she made an androgynous sculpture for a transgender community named Pratyay Gender Trust. For the first time in the history of the public celebration of Durga Puja, “Ardhanarishvara” idol was worshipped that was crafted by China. Androgynous sculpture of goddess Durga (Others) × An artist without a studio Archana Pal took care of the studio when her husband Nrisimha Pal died. She then trained her daughter Kanchi Pal, and now Kanchi is standing neck to neck with other male artisans. She is giving definitely a stiff competition to others. Kanchi advocates the participation of a larger number of women idol-maker in the Kumartoli workforce. Narrow and congested lanes of Kumartuli is a workplace for another women clay modeller Kakoli Pal. Kakoli doesn't have a studio. “I have appealed to local authorities to provide me with a studio on rent”, she said. She went through a lot of difficult time when her husband died and left her alone with two other children. She doesn't have any training in idol-making. She was just married off to a male artisan of Kumartuli. Pushed by misfortune, Kakoli just took a plunge in the profession of idol-making for her survival as well as that of her two daughters. And she pulled it off. Kakoli also said, “I cannot go to remote places to fetch material that is required for idol-making because of safety issues.” Mala, China, Kakoli and Kanchi, these women are making it really big in the eccentric and male-dominated profession and walking a path-less-taken and, thus, slowly removing the gender gap that exists in the craft and business of clay modelling.

Breaking tradition, women clay modellers are making Durga idol in Bengal

A woman police inspector from central India broke the norms of India&#39;s deeply-rooted caste system.

Inspector Anali Uddani&nbsp;intervened in a matter where some &quot;lower caste&quot; people were being prevented from organising a Durga puja, worship of the mother goddess, in the ongoing festival season.&nbsp;

The &quot;untouchable&quot; community from a small village, Kota, in Bundelkhand district of central India&#39;s Madhya Pradesh, had enthusiastically prepared to organise their own Puja ceremony.

They had laid the foundation for the idol, decorated the area, but when the time came to start worship, the upper caste Brahmin priests&nbsp;refused.&nbsp;

It was late in the night, the idol was unworshipped when Uddani arrived. Initially, she asked the priest to conduct the rituals. However, the priest kept on delaying the process.

Uddani, who is from the Brahmin community from which priests come, took matters into her own hands, and performed the rituals.

Incidentally, even Brahmin women are not allowed to conduct&nbsp;prayer rituals that are done only by Brahmin males.

Meanwhile, another Brahmin inspector decided to pitch in and help Uddani conduct the prayer ceremony.

Practising &#39;untouchability&#39; or caste discrimination&nbsp;is banned in India and punishable under the law, but societal attitudes are deeply entrenched and rear their heads from time to time.

The Madhya Pradesh police inspector, a Brahmin, performed the rituals herself to allow the worship to proceed

A woman police inspector from central India broke the norms of India's deeply-rooted caste system. Inspector Anali Uddani intervened in a matter where some "lower caste" people were being prevented from organising a Durga puja, worship of the mother goddess, in the ongoing festival season. The "untouchable" community from a small village, Kota, in Bundelkhand district of central India's Madhya Pradesh, had enthusiastically prepared to organise their own Puja ceremony. They had laid the foundation for the idol, decorated the area, but when the time came to start worship, the upper caste Brahmin priests refused. It was late in the night, the idol was unworshipped when Uddani arrived. Initially, she asked the priest to conduct the rituals. However, the priest kept on delaying the process. Uddani, who is from the Brahmin community from which priests come, took matters into her own hands, and performed the rituals. Incidentally, even Brahmin women are not allowed to conduct prayer rituals that are done only by Brahmin males. Meanwhile, another Brahmin inspector decided to pitch in and help Uddani conduct the prayer ceremony. Practising 'untouchability' or caste discrimination is banned in India and punishable under the law, but societal attitudes are deeply entrenched and rear their heads from time to time.

Watch: Priest refuses to conduct rituals for Durga Puja by 'lower castes', woman inspector steps in

Durga Puja is the celebration of the war goddesses Durga&#39;s win over the evil demon named Mahishasur. The myth is that the Goddess was not born but created by the various Gods to slay the evil Asur or demon who had terrorised both the earth and the heavens where the gods reside. Durga Puja, thereby,&nbsp;symbolises the victory of good over evil.

The real Durga Puja is done during spring. The autumnal Durga Puja, performed in the month of Ashwin, is also known as the Akal- bodhan&nbsp;because of its unusual timing. The autumnal puja was believed to have been performed by Lord Rama in Rameshwaram with the intention of appeasing Goddess Durga so that he is able to defeat Ravana. The irony of this puja was that Ravana himself being a devotee of Goddess Durga agreed to be the priest in Rama&#39;s puja that was arranged to defeat him.

But there are other versions of the Durga Puja. According to one such version, the Durga Pujas of spring and autumn were actually harvesting festival, celebrating both the spring and the autumnal equinoxes.

The other version deals with the tribal lineage of&nbsp;Durga. According to many scholars, the term Dussera has been loaned from the non-Aryan tribes. Dussera is believed to have stemmed from two words of Dus or ten and Eras or Goddesses Incidentally, Era is the austric Santali word for a Goddess. In other words, Dussera would mean the celebration of Ten Eras or Ten Goddesses.

How some of the tribes in Jharkhand celebrate the Durga Puja

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A unique picture that captures the hybridisation of two faiths of both the Santals and the Hindus. Here the Santals dance the Dasainkodaku during their Dasain ceremony in the Mandapa of the Durga of the Hindus (Others)
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The Santals

The tribals being non-Aryan and non-Hindu have their own religious faiths and, therefore, their own gods and goddesses. The Santal tribe across the state and the country celebrate Dasain during the Hundur Pujo (or the Hindu&#39;s Puja) of the Durga Puja.

Dasain is a four-day long celebration of the Santals that commences from the mahasaptami or the 7th lunar day of the Autumn Durga Puja. The Santals worship Goddess Jaher inside their sacred grove called Jaher Than to procure power and strength.

The myth behind Dasain is that once there were two lovers among the Santals: Durga, a girl, and the boy was Devi. The lovers used to meet in the woods, and once it so happened that the Aryans kidnapped the happy couple. The news of their abduction finally reached their villages. The tribe-folks went door to door in search of Durga and Devi by beating their traditional drums. But nowhere could the couple be found.

The search party is supposed to have reached the seashore but even there they could not be located. It was raining cats and dogs, hence, they could not cross the ocean to search Durga and Devi. Since then, till the present day the Santals believe that the lovers are still alive and they could indeed be found, hence the custom of Dasainkodaku in which they dance in their own tradition, visiting every home in hope of finding both Durga and Devi.

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An Asur tribal smelting iron (Others)
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The Asurs

Asurs are a small Mundari tribe believed to be the first iron-smelting people of India. The Mehrauli iron pillar in Delhi is one of their most famous works.

The Asurs are found all over north India; their various groups are, primarily, settled in Latehar, Gumla, Lohardagga, Khunti and Hazaribagh and other districts of Jharkhand and even in the state of West Bengal.

These people consider themselves to be the descendants of the legendary Mahishasur, the mythological demon who was slain by the Aryan war Goddess Durga.

During the Navratri festival, the Asur people lock themselves in their homes, blocking every window and every point from where light can enter into their homes. In the evenings they would come out to mourn the slaying of their king Mahish-asur. The&nbsp;mourning stems from the belief that the Aryan Devtas had tricked as well as killed their king and other prominent Asurs and might as well do the same again. Hence such precautions.

Despite all these nuances, many among the tribes have been&nbsp;adopting the Hindu way of life, celebrating the Durga Puja like other inhabitants of the region.

During the Navratri festival, the Asur people lock themselves in their homes, blocking every window and every point from where light can enter into their homes.

Durga Puja is the celebration of the war goddesses Durga's win over the evil demon named Mahishasur. The myth is that the Goddess was not born but created by the various Gods to slay the evil Asur or demon who had terrorised both the earth and the heavens where the gods reside. Durga Puja, thereby, symbolises the victory of good over evil. The real Durga Puja is done during spring. The autumnal Durga Puja, performed in the month of Ashwin, is also known as the Akal- bodhan because of its unusual timing. The autumnal puja was believed to have been performed by Lord Rama in Rameshwaram with the intention of appeasing Goddess Durga so that he is able to defeat Ravana. The irony of this puja was that Ravana himself being a devotee of Goddess Durga agreed to be the priest in Rama's puja that was arranged to defeat him. But there are other versions of the Durga Puja. According to one such version, the Durga Pujas of spring and autumn were actually harvesting festival, celebrating both the spring and the autumnal equinoxes. The other version deals with the tribal lineage of Durga. According to many scholars, the term Dussera has been loaned from the non-Aryan tribes. Dussera is believed to have stemmed from two words of Dus or ten and Eras or Goddesses Incidentally, Era is the austric Santali word for a Goddess. In other words, Dussera would mean the celebration of Ten Eras or Ten Goddesses. How some of the tribes in Jharkhand celebrate the Durga Puja A unique picture that captures the hybridisation of two faiths of both the Santals and the Hindus. Here the Santals dance the Dasainkodaku during their Dasain ceremony in the Mandapa of the Durga of the Hindus (Others) × The Santals The tribals being non-Aryan and non-Hindu have their own religious faiths and, therefore, their own gods and goddesses. The Santal tribe across the state and the country celebrate Dasain during the Hundur Pujo (or the Hindu's Puja) of the Durga Puja. Dasain is a four-day long celebration of the Santals that commences from the mahasaptami or the 7th lunar day of the Autumn Durga Puja. The Santals worship Goddess Jaher inside their sacred grove called Jaher Than to procure power and strength. The myth behind Dasain is that once there were two lovers among the Santals: Durga, a girl, and the boy was Devi. The lovers used to meet in the woods, and once it so happened that the Aryans kidnapped the happy couple. The news of their abduction finally reached their villages. The tribe-folks went door to door in search of Durga and Devi by beating their traditional drums. But nowhere could the couple be found. The search party is supposed to have reached the seashore but even there they could not be located. It was raining cats and dogs, hence, they could not cross the ocean to search Durga and Devi. Since then, till the present day the Santals believe that the lovers are still alive and they could indeed be found, hence the custom of Dasainkodaku in which they dance in their own tradition, visiting every home in hope of finding both Durga and Devi. An Asur tribal smelting iron (Others) × The Asurs Asurs are a small Mundari tribe believed to be the first iron-smelting people of India. The Mehrauli iron pillar in Delhi is one of their most famous works. The Asurs are found all over north India; their various groups are, primarily, settled in Latehar, Gumla, Lohardagga, Khunti and Hazaribagh and other districts of Jharkhand and even in the state of West Bengal. These people consider themselves to be the descendants of the legendary Mahishasur, the mythological demon who was slain by the Aryan war Goddess Durga. During the Navratri festival, the Asur people lock themselves in their homes, blocking every window and every point from where light can enter into their homes. In the evenings they would come out to mourn the slaying of their king Mahish-asur. The mourning stems from the belief that the Aryan Devtas had tricked as well as killed their king and other prominent Asurs and might as well do the same again. Hence such precautions. Despite all these nuances, many among the tribes have been adopting the Hindu way of life, celebrating the Durga Puja like other inhabitants of the region.

How Durga Pujo is celebrated beyond the Hindu community

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday reprimanded the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government for banning immersions of Durga idols on the Muslim festival of Muharram, and accused it of making &quot;communal distinction&quot; between the Hindus and the Muslims.

Mamata Banerjee <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mamata-banerjee-bans-immersions-on-muharram-warns-rss-vhp-not-to-play-with-fire-during-durga-puja-20289">directed last week that there will be no </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mamata-banerjee-bans-immersions-on-muharram-warns-rss-vhp-not-to-play-with-fire-during-durga-puja-20289">immersions</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mamata-banerjee-bans-immersions-on-muharram-warns-rss-vhp-not-to-play-with-fire-during-durga-puja-20289"> of the Durga idols on Muharram </a>which falls on October 1, a day after the Durga Puja festival will conclude. She had said the move was aimed at averting communal tensions that could be possibly instigated by right-wing extremist groups including the RSS, Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The court said that if the government in Bengal was convinced that there was communal harmony in the state, then it should not try and create a communal divide.

&quot;When you (state government) are firm there is communal harmony in the state, why are you creating communal distinction between the two?,&quot; the Calcutta High Court observed.

&quot;Let them live in harmony. Do not create a line between them. Let them live together&quot;, the court said.

In August, the West Bengal chief minister had said that Durga idol immersion would be allowed only till 6 pm on September 30 and would resume on October 2 after Muharram. She was accused of minority appeasement by political parties and on social media.

On September 15, the West Bengal government told the Calcutta High Court that immersion will be allowed till 10 pm on Vijaya Dashami on September 30. The state&#39;s Advocate General Kishore Dutta said a notification has been issued which allowed the immersion of idols till 10 pm on September 30. He said immersion would again be allowed on October 2.

The court was hearing a plea which wanted that the immersion be allowed till 1.36 am on October 1 in accordance with the Hindu calendar.

Mamata Banerjee&#39;s directive on Muharram had come a day after the VHP said they intend to carry out shastra puja (worship of weapons) in at least 300 places across West Bengal on Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra), which falls on September 30.

&quot;No violence will be tolerated during Durga Puja. No idol immersion on Muharram. Politics shouldn&#39;t be done in name of festivals,&quot; Mamata Banerjee said.

&quot;No immersion on Muharram. We will not let anyone do any rally with arms,&quot; the West Bengal chief minister said.

&quot;If RSS, VHP, Hindu Samhati are trying to create communal tension. We will combat any attempt to give rise to riots. We are not scared of the Enforcement Directorate or the CBI who try to summon us,&quot; at a press conference.

The Trinamool Congress chief&#39;s directive on immersions came before the Calcutta High Court judgement on her immersion order.

Mamata Banerjee directed last week that there will be no immersion of the Durga idols on Muharram which falls on October 1

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday reprimanded the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government for banning immersions of Durga idols on the Muslim festival of Muharram, and accused it of making "communal distinction" between the Hindus and the Muslims. Mamata Banerjee directed last week that there will be no immersions of the Durga idols on Muharram which falls on October 1, a day after the Durga Puja festival will conclude. She had said the move was aimed at averting communal tensions that could be possibly instigated by right-wing extremist groups including the RSS, Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The court said that if the government in Bengal was convinced that there was communal harmony in the state, then it should not try and create a communal divide. "When you (state government) are firm there is communal harmony in the state, why are you creating communal distinction between the two?," the Calcutta High Court observed. "Let them live in harmony. Do not create a line between them. Let them live together", the court said. In August, the West Bengal chief minister had said that Durga idol immersion would be allowed only till 6 pm on September 30 and would resume on October 2 after Muharram. She was accused of minority appeasement by political parties and on social media. On September 15, the West Bengal government told the Calcutta High Court that immersion will be allowed till 10 pm on Vijaya Dashami on September 30. The state's Advocate General Kishore Dutta said a notification has been issued which allowed the immersion of idols till 10 pm on September 30. He said immersion would again be allowed on October 2. The court was hearing a plea which wanted that the immersion be allowed till 1.36 am on October 1 in accordance with the Hindu calendar. Mamata Banerjee's directive on Muharram had come a day after the VHP said they intend to carry out shastra puja (worship of weapons) in at least 300 places across West Bengal on Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra), which falls on September 30. "No violence will be tolerated during Durga Puja. No idol immersion on Muharram. Politics shouldn't be done in name of festivals," Mamata Banerjee said. "No immersion on Muharram. We will not let anyone do any rally with arms," the West Bengal chief minister said. "If RSS, VHP, Hindu Samhati are trying to create communal tension. We will combat any attempt to give rise to riots. We are not scared of the Enforcement Directorate or the CBI who try to summon us," at a press conference. The Trinamool Congress chief's directive on immersions came before the Calcutta High Court judgement on her immersion order.

Why are you creating communal distinction: High Court raps Mamata Banerjee on Durga idol immersion

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has warned the right-wing RSS, Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) not to disturb peace during the upcoming Durga Puja festival, and asked them &quot;not to play with fire&quot;.

The Trinamool Congress chief has also directed that there will be no immersions on the Muslim festival of Muharram which falls on October 1, a day after the Durga Puja festival concludes.

Mamata Banerjee said the move was aimed at averting communal tensions that could be possibly instigated by right-wing extremist groups.

&quot;No violence will be tolerated during Durga Puja. No idol immersion on Muharram. Politics shouldn&#39;t be done in name of festivals,&quot; Mamata Banerjee said.

&quot;No immersion on Muharram. We will not let anyone do any rally with arms,&quot; the West Bengal chief minister said.

&quot;If RSS, VHP, Hindu Samhati are trying to create communal tension. We will combat any attempt to give rise to riots. We are not scared of the Enforcement Directorate or the CBI who try to summon us,&quot; at a press conference.

The West Bengal chief minister&#39;s statement comes a day after the VHP said they intend to carry out shastra puja (worship of&nbsp;weapons)&nbsp;in at least 300 places across West Bengal on Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra), which falls on September 30.

Mamata Banerjee&#39;s directive on immersions comes before the Calcutta High Court judgement on her immersion order.

In August, the West Bengal chief minister had said that Durga idol immersion would be allowed only till 6 pm on September 30 and would resume on October 2 after Muharram. She was accused of minority appeasement by political parties and on social media.

On September 15, the West Bengal government told the Calcutta High Court that immersion will be allowed till 10 pm on Vijaya Dashami on September 30. The state&#39;s Advocate General Kishore Dutta said a notification has been issued which allowed the immersion of idols till 10 pm on September 30. He said immersion would again be allowed on October 2.

The court was hearing a plea which wanted that the immersion be allowed till 1.36 am on October 1 in accordance with the Hindu calendar.

The West Bengal chief minister said the move was aimed at averting communal tensions that could be possibly instigated by right-wing extremist groups

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has warned the right-wing RSS, Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) not to disturb peace during the upcoming Durga Puja festival, and asked them "not to play with fire". The Trinamool Congress chief has also directed that there will be no immersions on the Muslim festival of Muharram which falls on October 1, a day after the Durga Puja festival concludes. Mamata Banerjee said the move was aimed at averting communal tensions that could be possibly instigated by right-wing extremist groups. "No violence will be tolerated during Durga Puja. No idol immersion on Muharram. Politics shouldn't be done in name of festivals," Mamata Banerjee said. "No immersion on Muharram. We will not let anyone do any rally with arms," the West Bengal chief minister said. "If RSS, VHP, Hindu Samhati are trying to create communal tension. We will combat any attempt to give rise to riots. We are not scared of the Enforcement Directorate or the CBI who try to summon us," at a press conference. The West Bengal chief minister's statement comes a day after the VHP said they intend to carry out shastra puja (worship of weapons) in at least 300 places across West Bengal on Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra), which falls on September 30. Mamata Banerjee's directive on immersions comes before the Calcutta High Court judgement on her immersion order. In August, the West Bengal chief minister had said that Durga idol immersion would be allowed only till 6 pm on September 30 and would resume on October 2 after Muharram. She was accused of minority appeasement by political parties and on social media. On September 15, the West Bengal government told the Calcutta High Court that immersion will be allowed till 10 pm on Vijaya Dashami on September 30. The state's Advocate General Kishore Dutta said a notification has been issued which allowed the immersion of idols till 10 pm on September 30. He said immersion would again be allowed on October 2. The court was hearing a plea which wanted that the immersion be allowed till 1.36 am on October 1 in accordance with the Hindu calendar.

Mamata Banerjee bans immersions on Muharram, warns RSS, VHP 'not to play with fire'

Communal clashes marked the culmination of Durga Puja celebrations and Muharram processions this year in several parts of eastern Indian state of West Bengal.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

According to locals, clashes&nbsp;erupted in several parts of the state on Tuesday as five-day Durga Puja festivity (observed by the Bengali community to honour Hindu goddess Durga) came to an end. Several people including some police personnel were injured in the clashes, sources said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Clashes in Naihati town&nbsp;

In Naihati town of North 24 Parganas district, eyewitnesses allege&nbsp;that they saw hundreds of outsiders entering the area, who claimed they had come to &lsquo;protect&rsquo; members of their community.

&nbsp;

Reportedly provoked by the leaders of a right-wing group, these outsiders hurled bombs at a Muharram procession (where members of the Muslim community mourn the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad). &nbsp;The participants of the procession hurled bombs in return and clashes ensued. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;The situation is still tense here. While it is usually peaceful around the daytime, as soon as darkness descends, the anti-social elements from both the communities start hurling bombs at each other. Cops turn mute spectators and they do not do anything to bring the situation under control. It&rsquo;s been close to a week that the situation continues to worsen&nbsp;but little has been done to bring back normalcy in the town,&rdquo; a local told WION pleading anonymity.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;The leaders of&nbsp;the ruling party, Trinamool Congress (TMC), &nbsp;who are protesting against the current situation and are trying to avert such clashes are also coming under fire. Several bombs were hurled in front of the Trinamool Congress party office to foil their attempts,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

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<h5>As darkness descends, the anti-social elements from both the communities start hurling bombs at each other. Cops turn mute spectators and they do not do anything to bring the situation under control,&quot; a local told WION.</h5>
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&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Some reports also suggest that when the Muharram procession was advancing in Naihati, members from the&nbsp;community requested for lowering the volume of loudspeakers playing devotional songs near a mosque, but were refused, which resulted&nbsp;in the&nbsp;breakout of clashes.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the local administration discontinued the ferry services on Friday evening to prevent any movement of outsiders into the Naihati area. It is being suspected that the outsiders, who initally instigated the clashes, entered the town through ferry and small boats.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The ferry services on the Ghola Ghat in the area, however, are yet to be suspended. Meanwhile, the police has imposed section 144 of the Indian code of criminal procedure (CrPC) that prohibits gathering of more than four people in a public place.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

As WION spoke to the inspector general (IG) of West Bengal police (Law &amp; Order), Anuj Sharma, regarding the matter, he assured that the situation is peaceful now.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;We did receive few complaints of several groups clashing with each other. But, the situation is normal now. Police pickets have been put in place, wherever such incidents were reported,&rdquo; Sharma said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&#39;Provocation by hardliners&#39;

In the industrial city of Kharagpur in Paschim Medinipur district and Chandannagar city of Hooghly district, it is being reported that several shops were burnt down and houses were looted by some members of the procession as it was on its way. Several parts of Chandannagar are still on a boil, sources informed WION.

&nbsp;

Eyewitnesses claim that they have been hearing the noises of firing and bombing during the night hours. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;Last night, we could hear sounds of firing and bombs going off at regular intervals. The trouble began on Friday evening as two armed groups charged each other with countrymade bombs. All the shops immediately closed down. We are living in a state of constant terror. The situation is beyond the control of the administration,&rdquo; a local from the area told this correspondent on conditions anonymity.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Similar incidents have been reported in several districts of the state &mdash; West Midnapore, Murshidabad, Howrah, Hooghly, Burdwan and North 24 Parganas and Malda.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Locals claim that these groups are being provoked by hardliners and the administration has failed to maintain peace.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In Malda district, Rapid Action Force, a specialised wing of the Indian CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), has been deployed in areas where clashes erupted. According to locals, the areas continue to be tense.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In several areas of North 24 Parganas, locals have come together for night-vigil in a bid to prevent further clashes.

&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Several parts of the eastern state remain tense and administration has failed to bring back normalcy, locals say

Communal clashes marked the culmination of Durga Puja celebrations and Muharram processions this year in several parts of eastern Indian state of West Bengal. According to locals, clashes erupted in several parts of the state on Tuesday as five-day Durga Puja festivity (observed by the Bengali community to honour Hindu goddess Durga) came to an end. Several people including some police personnel were injured in the clashes, sources said. Clashes in Naihati town In Naihati town of North 24 Parganas district, eyewitnesses allege that they saw hundreds of outsiders entering the area, who claimed they had come to ‘protect’ members of their community. Reportedly provoked by the leaders of a right-wing group, these outsiders hurled bombs at a Muharram procession (where members of the Muslim community mourn the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad). The participants of the procession hurled bombs in return and clashes ensued. “The situation is still tense here. While it is usually peaceful around the daytime, as soon as darkness descends, the anti-social elements from both the communities start hurling bombs at each other. Cops turn mute spectators and they do not do anything to bring the situation under control. It’s been close to a week that the situation continues to worsen but little has been done to bring back normalcy in the town,” a local told WION pleading anonymity. “The leaders of the ruling party, Trinamool Congress (TMC), who are protesting against the current situation and are trying to avert such clashes are also coming under fire. Several bombs were hurled in front of the Trinamool Congress party office to foil their attempts," he added. As darkness descends, the anti-social elements from both the communities start hurling bombs at each other. Cops turn mute spectators and they do not do anything to bring the situation under control," a local told WION. × Some reports also suggest that when the Muharram procession was advancing in Naihati, members from the community requested for lowering the volume of loudspeakers playing devotional songs near a mosque, but were refused, which resulted in the breakout of clashes. Meanwhile, the local administration discontinued the ferry services on Friday evening to prevent any movement of outsiders into the Naihati area. It is being suspected that the outsiders, who initally instigated the clashes, entered the town through ferry and small boats. The ferry services on the Ghola Ghat in the area, however, are yet to be suspended. Meanwhile, the police has imposed section 144 of the Indian code of criminal procedure (CrPC) that prohibits gathering of more than four people in a public place. As WION spoke to the inspector general (IG) of West Bengal police (Law & Order), Anuj Sharma, regarding the matter, he assured that the situation is peaceful now. “We did receive few complaints of several groups clashing with each other. But, the situation is normal now. Police pickets have been put in place, wherever such incidents were reported,” Sharma said. 'Provocation by hardliners' In the industrial city of Kharagpur in Paschim Medinipur district and Chandannagar city of Hooghly district, it is being reported that several shops were burnt down and houses were looted by some members of the procession as it was on its way. Several parts of Chandannagar are still on a boil, sources informed WION. Eyewitnesses claim that they have been hearing the noises of firing and bombing during the night hours. “Last night, we could hear sounds of firing and bombs going off at regular intervals. The trouble began on Friday evening as two armed groups charged each other with countrymade bombs. All the shops immediately closed down. We are living in a state of constant terror. The situation is beyond the control of the administration,” a local from the area told this correspondent on conditions anonymity. Similar incidents have been reported in several districts of the state — West Midnapore, Murshidabad, Howrah, Hooghly, Burdwan and North 24 Parganas and Malda. Locals claim that these groups are being provoked by hardliners and the administration has failed to maintain peace. In Malda district, Rapid Action Force, a specialised wing of the Indian CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), has been deployed in areas where clashes erupted. According to locals, the areas continue to be tense. In several areas of North 24 Parganas, locals have come together for night-vigil in a bid to prevent further clashes. (WION)

Communal clashes erupt in India's West Bengal after Muharram processions, Durga Puja celebrations?

Hundreds of tourists and locals were stranded today in eastern Indian states of West Bengal and Sikkim following landslides due to heavy rains.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

While most highways remained cut off from the cities and towns, tourists were stranded on several arterial roads for several hours as they waited for the debris to get cleared. Normal life remained&nbsp;paralysed as locals could not step out of their homes due to waterlogging.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Landslides were reported in West Bengal&#39;s Alipurduar and Darjeeling districts. A portion of an arterial road between Siliguri and Sevok in Jalpaiguri district caved in due to landslip, sources informed WION. Another hill road&nbsp;in the district of Darjeeling also collapsed.

&nbsp;

Incessant rains over the last 48 hours, however,&nbsp;affected the repair work of these hill roads, official sources said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb said that the tourists are safe and the government will ensure all arrangements are being made for smooth movement of traffic. &ldquo;Repair work is&nbsp;going on the highways and the roads, where landslides have occurred. Meanwhile, all vehicles are being diverted to other routes till the time all roads are repaired. All tourists are safe,&rdquo; said Deb.

&nbsp;

In the eastern Indian state of Siliguri, services on National Highway 10, which connects Siliguri with Sikkim and Kalimpong (a hill station in West Bengal), remained disrupted due to the landslides. Another landslide was reported at Legship town, near Pelling town in Sikkim, severely affecting road traffic movement between Darjeeling and Legship.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Teesta and Jaldhaka rivers that flow through Jalpaiguri city of West Bengal, Mahananda river in Darjeeling, Santosh and Kaljani river in Alipurduar district have been overflowing in the wake of incessant rains. &nbsp;Several low-lying areas of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri have been inundated after the lock-gates on the Teesta river were opened. Weather office has predicted that these areas will receive more rainfall over the next 24 hours.

&nbsp;

West Bengal and Sikkim witness a steep surge in tourist footfalls during this time of the year. Locals and tourists participate in massive Durga Puja celebrations, a festival observed by the Bengali community.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp;

While most highways remained cut off from the cities and towns, tourists were stranded on several arterial roads for several hours

Hundreds of tourists and locals were stranded today in eastern Indian states of West Bengal and Sikkim following landslides due to heavy rains. While most highways remained cut off from the cities and towns, tourists were stranded on several arterial roads for several hours as they waited for the debris to get cleared. Normal life remained paralysed as locals could not step out of their homes due to waterlogging. Landslides were reported in West Bengal's Alipurduar and Darjeeling districts. A portion of an arterial road between Siliguri and Sevok in Jalpaiguri district caved in due to landslip, sources informed WION. Another hill road in the district of Darjeeling also collapsed. Incessant rains over the last 48 hours, however, affected the repair work of these hill roads, official sources said. North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb said that the tourists are safe and the government will ensure all arrangements are being made for smooth movement of traffic. “Repair work is going on the highways and the roads, where landslides have occurred. Meanwhile, all vehicles are being diverted to other routes till the time all roads are repaired. All tourists are safe,” said Deb. In the eastern Indian state of Siliguri, services on National Highway 10, which connects Siliguri with Sikkim and Kalimpong (a hill station in West Bengal), remained disrupted due to the landslides. Another landslide was reported at Legship town, near Pelling town in Sikkim, severely affecting road traffic movement between Darjeeling and Legship. Teesta and Jaldhaka rivers that flow through Jalpaiguri city of West Bengal, Mahananda river in Darjeeling, Santosh and Kaljani river in Alipurduar district have been overflowing in the wake of incessant rains. Several low-lying areas of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri have been inundated after the lock-gates on the Teesta river were opened. Weather office has predicted that these areas will receive more rainfall over the next 24 hours. West Bengal and Sikkim witness a steep surge in tourist footfalls during this time of the year. Locals and tourists participate in massive Durga Puja celebrations, a festival observed by the Bengali community. (WION)

India: Hundreds stranded in West Bengal, Sikkim after landslides

The sex workers of Sonagachi have said they will not be celebrating Durga puja&nbsp;&ndash; the biggest Bengali festival&nbsp;of the year; in which people commemorate the goddess Durga&#39;s slaying of the demon Mahishasura &ndash; this year.

This is especially surprising since the sex workers play an integral part in the festivities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the Indian state of Bengal, it is believed&nbsp;that an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga is incomplete if earth from the doorstep of a prostitute&nbsp;is not mixed into the clay that goes into moulding&nbsp;it.

The old (and it must be said troubling) thinking was that a man who visited&nbsp;a prostitute&nbsp;left his purity at her doorstep;&nbsp;hence the earth at a prostitute&#39;s&nbsp;doorstep is called &quot;punya mati&quot;&nbsp;or pure soil in Bengali.&nbsp;

Potters will therefore collect earth from the &quot;nishiddho palli&quot;&nbsp;or&nbsp;the forbidden territory (read red-light districts). This earth, believed to be a blessing from the prostitutes,&nbsp;is then mixed into the clay used in the making of the&nbsp;Durga idols.&nbsp;

It is no surprise then that two of the largest potters&#39; colonies&nbsp;in Bengal&#39;s capital city Kolkata are found next to red-light districts. One of the biggest potters&#39;&nbsp;colonies, Kumartulli,&nbsp;lies next to Sonagachi &ndash; which is&nbsp;one of Asia&#39;s&nbsp;largest red-light districts&nbsp;&ndash; while Potuapara is found&nbsp;next to the Kalighat&nbsp;red-light district.&nbsp;

It is believed the ritual was made part of Durga puja so as to allow the sex workers,&nbsp;generally thought of&nbsp;as outcastes,&nbsp;to take part in the festivities.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
But of course things are different this year, with the sex workers of Sonagachi saying they will not be taking part in the festivities. They say celebrating&nbsp;it entails too much harassment. 
&nbsp; 
Bharati Dey, the secretary of the Durbar Mahila Sammanaya Committee,&nbsp;the NGO&nbsp;that works with&nbsp;sex workers in the Sonagachi area, says, &ldquo;We have been harassed for the past three years. In our bid to celebrate Durga puja, we had to run from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to the police station seeking permission. Sometimes we were not allowed to organise the Durga puja within our district at all. We had to even approach Calcutta High Court for permission the past couple of years.&rdquo; 
&nbsp; 
&ldquo;We cannot be doing that every year. We are tired of going to the corporation and the High Court just to be a part of the puja revelry. Hence, we have decided to give up this time and not celebrate the festival,&rdquo; she adds. 
&nbsp; 
Others in the area&nbsp;say&nbsp;they have been harassed so much in the past that they are left with little inclintation to celebrate the puja this year. &ldquo;No one from the state government comes forward to make us a part of the festival. No political leaders or representatives of the government want us to celebrate the puja, hence it is best to give up on the celebrations. It&rsquo;s sad that they do not think that we are humans, too. We live with the taboo (of being sex workers) all our life, but the governments do little to make our lives better,&rdquo; said a sex worker&nbsp;who did not wish to be named. 
&nbsp; 
Trouble began in 2013 as the sex workers and members of the Durbar Mahila Sammanaya Committee planned&nbsp;the puja. 
&nbsp; 
The police and the municipal corporation refused to give them permission,&nbsp;saying they could not hold the puja on the pavement. They finally had to conduct&nbsp;the puja&nbsp;inside the clinic run by the NGO. 
&nbsp; 
In 2015, they were again&nbsp;refused permission and had to approach the high court, which ordered the authorities to allow them to celebrate the puja and to allot them a community hall for the purpose. 
&nbsp; 
(WION)

The sex workers are an integral part of the festivities but they say celebrating it entails too much harassment

The sex workers of Sonagachi have said they will not be celebrating Durga puja – the biggest Bengali festival of the year; in which people commemorate the goddess Durga's slaying of the demon Mahishasura – this year. This is especially surprising since the sex workers play an integral part in the festivities. In the Indian state of Bengal, it is believed that an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga is incomplete if earth from the doorstep of a prostitute is not mixed into the clay that goes into moulding it. The old (and it must be said troubling) thinking was that a man who visited a prostitute left his purity at her doorstep; hence the earth at a prostitute's doorstep is called "punya mati" or pure soil in Bengali. Potters will therefore collect earth from the "nishiddho palli" or the forbidden territory (read red-light districts). This earth, believed to be a blessing from the prostitutes, is then mixed into the clay used in the making of the Durga idols. It is no surprise then that two of the largest potters' colonies in Bengal's capital city Kolkata are found next to red-light districts. One of the biggest potters' colonies, Kumartulli, lies next to Sonagachi – which is one of Asia's largest red-light districts – while Potuapara is found next to the Kalighat red-light district. It is believed the ritual was made part of Durga puja so as to allow the sex workers, generally thought of as outcastes, to take part in the festivities. But of course things are different this year, with the sex workers of Sonagachi saying they will not be taking part in the festivities. They say celebrating it entails too much harassment. Bharati Dey, the secretary of the Durbar Mahila Sammanaya Committee, the NGO that works with sex workers in the Sonagachi area, says, “We have been harassed for the past three years. In our bid to celebrate Durga puja, we had to run from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to the police station seeking permission. Sometimes we were not allowed to organise the Durga puja within our district at all. We had to even approach Calcutta High Court for permission the past couple of years.” “We cannot be doing that every year. We are tired of going to the corporation and the High Court just to be a part of the puja revelry. Hence, we have decided to give up this time and not celebrate the festival,” she adds. Others in the area say they have been harassed so much in the past that they are left with little inclintation to celebrate the puja this year. “No one from the state government comes forward to make us a part of the festival. No political leaders or representatives of the government want us to celebrate the puja, hence it is best to give up on the celebrations. It’s sad that they do not think that we are humans, too. We live with the taboo (of being sex workers) all our life, but the governments do little to make our lives better,” said a sex worker who did not wish to be named. Trouble began in 2013 as the sex workers and members of the Durbar Mahila Sammanaya Committee planned the puja. The police and the municipal corporation refused to give them permission, saying they could not hold the puja on the pavement. They finally had to conduct the puja inside the clinic run by the NGO. In 2015, they were again refused permission and had to approach the high court, which ordered the authorities to allow them to celebrate the puja and to allot them a community hall for the purpose. (WION)

India: Bengal's sex workers say they won't celebrate Durga puja this year

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