KOLKATA DURGA PUJA PANDAL TO SHOW WOMEN MIGRANT WORKER IN PLACE OF GODDESS DURGA

WOMEN MIGRANT WORKER IN PLACE OF DURGA

Kolkata is well known as "City of Joy" and is joyful when it comes to festivals like Durga Puja. Their culture, variety of pandals and traditions highlight Kolkata. This year 2020, a pandal in Kolkata has decided to replace the traditional idol of goddess Durga with that of migrant workers.

The main purpose of this pandal Barista club Durga Puja committee, in Behala, Kolkata is to give a tribute to all the migrant laborers and workers for their struggle during the covid-19 pandemic, many lost their lives, many were killed apart from those idols, other gods like Saraswati, Lakshmi, Ganesh, and Kartik have been replaced with the idols of female migrant labors, carry a duck and owl which are considered as "chosen Vahan" of goddess Durga.

The idol of migrant labor shows a mother carrying a baby without a shirt, in her arm in place of lord Kartik, besides that there is a pot-bellied child with an elephant head which signifies Lord Ganesha. There are no weapons nor any demon God asura.

Every year the Puja pandals are constructed based on certain themes. This Puja pandal theme is ' RELIEF'.

Rinta das, an artist, describing the idol, said that " the goddess is the woman who burned the scorching heat and hunger and penury along with her children. The image tries to show that she is looking for some food. He said, he got an idea when his friend was traveling to Delhi from Bengal and they told about the situation of these labour and workers and this came in his mind and later pictured it.

Several have lost their lives just walking, many were killed in accidents some died due to hunger and starvation. Covid-19 has hampered many lives and killed numerous unknowingly. This is a tribute for all the brave workers who are still working hard and overcome the pathetic situation.

Over 1 crore migrants have returned via food to their village and hometown in March to June.

According to the data by ministry and labour employment it says, about 81,385 road accidents occurred during the period and numerous have lost their lives during a covid-19 pandemic due to starvation.