In the growing trend of bringing social themes to the Durga Puja celebrations, the Bondhu Mahal, a well known social organization from Indiranagar, has decided to make “Educate Girl Child” as its theme for the celebrations this year. The prime aim is to spread awareness about Education of Girl Child and other atrocities being committed against women.
The Committee will sponsor education of thirty girl students of Anglo Boys Bengali Inter College and set them on the path of empowerment. It will also showcase posters on the theme at the Pandal for the purpose of sensitizing the visitors to the pandal.
Bondhu Mahal Puja President R. G Pramanik while talking to “The Pioneer” said that instead of focusing on the culture and festive they would divert the funds for this humanitarian cause which would benefit society at large.
He pointed out categorically, “If we wanted to save the girl child it was necessary to educate her. Education is one way which empowers women and they are able to stand on their own feet. It is also a mechanism where the girl child can save herself. We have been working for the cause of education for children in the past years but this time we will be doing it for the girl child alone” he said.
He further said , “The endeavour would include taking a written pledge from the visitors to keep the interest of the girl child in the uppermost on their mind. A copy of the written pledge will be sent to both the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,”
Paramanik said that the was more relevant today keeping in mind the fact that Maa Durga herself was a woman. “As Maa Durga is a woman so we decided to highlight the issue of Educate Girl Child during the Puja,” he said.
Incidentally the Puja had for its theme last year the topic “Save the Girl Child” which got an overwhelming response from the city. The entire approach road to the Pandal had been decorated with posters that threw light on the sensitive and important issue.
“The theme is an effort to spread social awareness against illiteracy among girls. It is an irony that on one hand we worship women as Maa Durga and, on other hand, we ignore the girl child,” said Paramanik.
“During Durga Puja we perform Kumari Puja. This shows importance of girl in Puja and we just want to drive that point down in this Puja,” he said. The Puja secretary Himangshu Acharya said that the collection of huge crowds at the point of pandal creates just the right venue for a social cause. “In this Durga Puja Festival several Bengali families visit the stall for puja which makes it an ideal place for spreading messages that have some social importance. The pandal will also have posters on both the sides which will also highlight the issue. There will also be drawing and painting competitions where in the senior childrens category this will also be a theme” he said.
The Puja sees one thousand visitors each day with 400-500 at the time of the Bhog distribution. “We will also focus on having a traditional puja” said Paramanik. The Durga Puja will start from October 19 and the visarjan will take place onOctober 23.