Durga puja organisers tweak theme to give message on women's safety amid R.G. Kar issue

Durga Puja organisers in Kolkata incorporate themes of public protests and self-defense techniques in their pandals.

A section of crowd-puller Durga puja organisers in Kolkata are making a few changes to their original theme, planned months ago, to incorporate the issue of women’s safety amid protests over the R.G. Kar Hospital incident.

While one organiser has planned to show three-dimensional images of public protests, another would spread the message of protecting oneself through life-saving techniques.

A third puja will have a huge banner near the marquee demanding justice for the doctor who was allegedly raped and killed in the state-run hospital on August 9, sparking large-scale protests by medics, celebrities and common people.

These features were added to the original themes of the pujas.

Every year, several puja organisers in West Bengal choose themes, mainly social issues and current incidents, and use their pandals, idols and lighting arrangements to depict them.

“In a slightly changed plan, our spherical pandal will be a symbol of protest against injustices to women. In lighting arrangements, a large flame can be seen along with three-dimensional images of protests,” said Sajal Ghosh, general secretary of Santosh Mitra Square Puja in central Kolkata.

On the way out of the pandal, 'We Want Justice' chants will reverberate the air, merging festival and protest, he said.