It will be a sort of home coming for around 50 Bengali widows of Vrindavan when they step out of iconic Howrah railway station to celebrate Durga Puja in Kolkata this time.
Around 50 widows in their ripe old age, who were shunned by their families and asked to leave their homes in Bengal, will be visit ‘The City of Joy’ for the first time to participate in Durga Puja. Around 50 widows had attended puja celebration last time, and a new batch of as many widows in their 80s will have the privilege this time.
Festivities will unfold all around when they reach Howarh station onSeptember 25 as preparations are afoot to extend them a warm welcome on their arrival at the railway station.
Drums of traditional Dhaki and blowing of ‘Shankha’ (conch shells) will mark the occasion and it will be flowers all the way as one hundred kilos of flower petals would be used for the grand event.
The widows will cross the Hooghly (Ganga) on boat to refresh the memory of famous Howarh Bridge. They will visit “Kumar Toli” to to see for themselves how life is breathed into the clay idols of Goddess Durga of world repute.
During their week-long stay, they will enjoy Tram and Metro ride apart from visiting dozens of Puja pandals. Apart from visiting Puja Pandals, these widows have a plan to visit famous Kali Bari besides visiting Victoria Memorial and Chowringhee.
Several widows including 95-year-old Kanak lata Devi who is living in Vrindavan for around 45 years desires to meet the Governor and Chief Minister ‘Mamta Didi’.
The organiser of the event, noted NGO Sulabh International, has sought appointments from Raj Bhawan and CM’s office to fulfil the wishes of these visiting guests.
“This is a novel idea that will give them a break from their monotonous lives in the ashrams,” Sulabh Founder Dr Bindeshwar Pathak said. “Their trip to Kolkata is an effort to bring some joy and sense of belongingness to their lives. They are going back to the land of their ancestors,” he said. Sulabh looks after 1,000 Vrindavan widows. “It is not just a Puja tour for them. They will go back to their roots. It is a journey down memory lane,” said Dr Pathak.