Setting free from the notion that grand events are successfully organised only by men, the members of the Bal Ganesh Utsav Mahila Samiti, a group of 20 enthusiastic women, is all in the awe of celebrating the Ganesha festival with great zeal and enthusiasm.
Women from different fields have come together and have successfully managed to organise the 10-day Ganesha Festival as a symbol of woman empowerment.
Talking to The Pioneer, Samiti’s coordinator Molly Bose said, “We have come together to organise the Ganesha Utsav not only out of our devotion, but also representing women empowerment.”
Elaborating further, she said that the motive behind establishing Bal Ganesh Utsav Mahila Samiti was to bring out children out of their homes and virtual world and make them enjoy their childhood.
“We have nuclear families, where children are more engrossed in their routines and parents busy in managing their lives. In this run to manage our lives, we have been missing out on something really important, letting our kids learn about these small cultural responsibilities and having them mix up with people from different backgrounds,” Molly Bose, coordinator of the Samiti said.
The Samiti was initialised in 2011-12 and children initiated this. They organised the first Ganesha festival and then could not continue due to their studies. In 2013, however, the ladies came forward and took a step ahead to bring the children together and keep the atmosphere positive and happening.
“Children these days rarely go out and indulge themselves in outdoor games and meet people and make friends. They have immersed themselves in a virtual world, which is leading them to commit suicide. So we decided to take a step forward and involve children in such activities, where they learn about our culture, get to make friends and take some time off their virtual world,” Mala Hasani, a member added.
The events here include Ganesh sthapana, games, cultural events and motivational lectures by noted personals. “This time we have invited IAS officer Anubha Shrivastava to motivate children and we are also felicitating her for her achievements. We have also roped in Rinku Das, chief General Manager MPEB Bhopal to talk to the children,” Riya Tolani, a member said.