Durga Puja Celebrations - A Thought!

(Translated for Mr. Ashok Bose, President - Dakshin Pally Durga Puja Samity, C R Park)

The eternal mother (Ma Durga) has started her journey on the majestic airavat – the elephant, from Mount Kailash to her paternal home on earth. The land is filled with the sweet fragrance of the shiulis and the shimmering beauty of the white kash-phools, that wave in the thin breeze announcing the arrival of Ma. With Mahalaya, it has been the onset of Matripaksha. Sounds of conch shells and temple bells reverberate the morning hours everyday. A sense of enthusiasm and excitement prevail all around as young and old, male and female, take out time from their mechanical life to rush up with their last minute puja shopping – sarees, denims, shirts, trousers, and many more. This is as if, everyone has woken up from a slumber to be part of Sharad-utsav or Durga Puja.

In the middle of all the happiness, the razzmatazz, the showbiz and the commercialization of Durga Puja festivities, one group of people have somehow been neglected or even unintentionally pushed in the shadows of gloom and despair. They are an integral part of the society, like anyone among us – you and me. These are the physically challenged and underprivileged kids. In pursuit of the minimal happiness that the family can get, the parents leave these little ones back home – often neglected and unprotected, while they try to earn a living. While we all drench ourselves in the fun and frolic of the festivities, these timid and helpless kids tend to get further shoved away from the general mass – and we do not even unfortunately realize this. These physically challenged kids end up becoming a loner all throughout their life.

While deliberating on whether we, as a society can do something for these kids or not, the Dakshin Pally Durga Puja Samity decided to take up their cause and start a small movement. We have contacted various NGOs and have requested them to get all these kids, at our own expense in chartered buses, from across Delhi and provide them with the best entertainment possible during the festivities, which include showing them around different pandals in C R Park, treating them with sumptuous meals and showering them with lots of gifts, love and affection.

This is just a small initiative and probably a lot need to be done for them. People from across India should think of doing something in getting these kids in the mainstream social spectrum in making them more self confident and giving them a sense of acceptance by one and all. I thank all the NGOs who have decided to associate with us and would plead with other puja organizers to take up this cause in their own way. I wish everyone a happy and prosperous Durga Puja.

Thank you.