How Kolkata Durga Puja Pandal Theme Parichay Honours Sex Workers In Society

The recent Durga Puja celebrations of Pandal in Kolkata have been path-breaking in more ways than one. From Sindoor Khela being open to everyone and not just married women to widows being able to participate in celebrations to honouring the struggles of sex workers in the country, the Durga Puja Pandals have helmed some inspirational themes over the years. This year, a Durga Puja Pandal of Nawpara Dadabhai Sangh Puja Committee in Kolkata has named their theme 'Parichay', which is an initiative honouring sex workers and depicting their life in a new light.

The Durga Puja Pandal-themed Parichay which means 'Identity' has helmed the significant initiative to depict the life and challenges of sex workers in society. The pandal will shed light on the lives of sex workers, the community they live in, and how society looks upon them.

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Kolkata Durga Puja Pandal Honours Sex Workers

The city of Kolkata, which hosts innumerable Pandals, always brings out important themes to ponder over with every passing year. This year, a Durga Puja Pandal of Nawpara Dadabhai Sangh Puja Committee has decided to bring to light the struggles that sex workers face in their day-to-day lives, and why it is important to value their profession and their choice. 

The pandal is themed as 'Parichay', a Hindi name for the term 'Identity'. The committee representative ">told a media channel that they decided on this step because they wanted people to know all the sex workers are just as normal and honourable as they are, and emphasising this through the Durga Puja pandal was the best way to instil this thought in people.

Similar tribute

In 2018, a Durga Puja committee had taken the initiative to honour sex workers through graffiti art. The Ahiritola Jubakbrinda Durga Puja committee had taken the project to paint graffiti they had dedicated to sex workers.

Their goal was to inculcate the idea of inclusion among people by showcasing the lives of sex workers and enabling people to respect their choices.

As the festival season kicking in across the country, this is the most exhilarating time in West Bengal, as the state is covered with Durga Puja celebrations, diversely themed pandals, and people out on the streets celebrating with each other and relishing some popular delicacies. With organisers doing their bit to depict the lives of sex workers, the festivities have now become more meaningful and empowering in a lot of ways.