Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Sindoor Khela, the ritual that marks the end of Durga Puja celebrations by the Bengali community, will be dedicated to Operation Sindoor this year at the Dakshineshwar Kalibari Son Kolar Road area in the city.
Meeta Wadhwa from the Kalibari has told Free Press that the Operation Sindoor has a direct connection with the Sindoor Khela.
“We Bengalis believe that Maa Durga comes to the place of her parents during Durga Puja and when we bid farewell to her, along with her children, we smear her and also each other with Sindoor, signifying Suhag” she says.
The perpetrators of the terror attack in Pahalgam had done just the opposite. They had wiped the Sindoor off newly-wed women. They had killed their husbands before their own eyes. Operation Sindoor was meant to avenge that, she said, adding that a dance competition will be held on it.
The Durga Puja celebrations as a whole at the Kali Badi will be themed on Rang-Ras-Riti, emphasising preservation of traditional Bengali culture. An exhibition of handmade articles to give a platform to women who don’t normally get to display their creativity will be held. The exhibition will be put up solely by women. Various competitions will also be organised, she added.
The celebrations at TT Nagar Kali Badi will be themed on the Valmiki Ramayana and especially, Ram Ki Shakti Puja. An exhibition of paintings as well as photographs will depict the various chapters from the Ramayana, including Lav-Kush acquiring an education at the ashram of Valimki, Ram chasing the golden deer, Sita’s abduction by Ravana etc, says executive member of the Bengali Association, Kali Badi T T Nagar, Abira Mukherjee. Artistes from Kolkata will present cultural performances, he added.
At the Kali Badi in BHEL, the celebrations will be themed on Dhakeshwari Durga, which will don pure white attire. Instead of one day, now bhog will be offered for three days, said general secretary of Kali Bari Samiti, BHEL, Dilip Haldar.
