Women's rights and eco-friendly idols to dominate Durga Puja events at Delhi's CR Park

Representation Image

Following the nationwide outrage over the RG Kar rape-murder incident, women's empowerment-like themes have found center stage in Delhi's 'mini Kilkata' Chittaranjan Park for the Durga Puja festivities starting Wednesday, PTI reported.

The Bengali community in the region is doing everything they can to make the yearly celebration of "Maa Durga," which symbolizes feminine strength, unforgettable, from eco-friendly themes to the colours of rural Bengal to the magnificent forts of Rajasthan.

At the Kali Mandir, dark red and white colours are been used in the pandal symbolising women's rights and has been decorated by 80 per cent women workforce, said Rajiv Nag, secretary of the Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir Samiti to PTI.

According to PTI, the organizers have also extended their invitation to artists from the National Capital Region (NCR) to perform during the festival days, as a way to promote local talents who often lack opportunities to showcase their skills.

The events will tell stories about women in order as a way to honour their contributions, Nag said to PTI.

The Maa Sharda community in CR Park has also built a replica of Vanarasi's Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Saying that it took more than a month to construct the replica, Mukul Bhardwaj, vice-president of the puja committee, said to PTI, "All the artists and labourers involved in the decoration came from different parts of Bengal and Bihar."

Cooperative Durga Puja Samiti, another puja committee in the area, went for the theme 'Gram Bangla' highlighting the traditional celebrations of rural Bengal.

The pandal similar to a mud house and decorated with jute and woodwork works aims to create an authentic village atmosphere.

"The pandal features handmade items crafted by artisans coming from Bengal who worked for more than a month," said an office-bearer of the puja committee, adding that young artists from Delhi also contributed to enhancing the visual experience, as cited by PTI.

The Cooperative Durga Puja Committee has chosen eco-friendly idols to be dissolved in an artificial pond built close to the pandal on "Dashami," the festival's final day, as part of an environmentally conscious endeavour.

Meanwhile, the Mela Ground Puja Committee has drawn inspiration from Rajasthan's majestic forts for its pandal designed by artisans brought from West Bengal.

(With inputs from PTI)