Transcending tradition

Durga Puja Committees are experimenting with unique ways to make the festival more accessible. From wheelchair ramps at pandals to medical kiosks and biodegradable decorations, the initiatives are embracing a wider spectrum of visitors, symbolizing not just the victory of good over evil but also inclusivity and sustainability.

- SUGANDHA MUKHERJEE

The conversation is now reaching a new inflection point. An example is the cultural non-profit, massArt, which is expanding its annual art preview this year to explicitly include seniors and persons with disabilities.

The organization, founded in 2022, has always positioned Durga Puja as the world's first public art show staged at night. Now, in partnership with UNESCO, the West Bengal government and IIT-Kharagpur, it is pushing accessibility into the mainstream of puja organization.

The scale is significant—according to massArt, the industry employs more than 200,000 artisans, supports 2,300 sites and attracts over 25 million visitors each year.

Its fourth preview show, to be held from September 18 to 22, will allow pass holders to access 24 community pujas and one family puja before crowds descend. The passes are vetted through online applications requiring proof of age or disability certificates. Once admitted, visitors will receive pick-up and drop services, ramps, and resting areas.

Innovating locally While massArt has made the issue visible at scale, local committees across India have long experimented with models of inclusivity. In New Delhi's CR Park, the Cooperative Ground Puja has been running special services for over a decade.

"What's happening in Bengal now has been done here for the past 10 years," says Vivek Bhattacharjee, its general secretary.

The committee, which celebrates its diamond jubilee this year, provides free e-rickshaw pick-up and drop for senior citizens, wheelchair-friendly grounds, medical kiosks and special pushpanjali arrangements for those unable to stand in long queues.

"Our ground is wheelchair friendly and provides special prayer and eating arrangements. We have medical kiosks and ensure seating arrangements for the needy across the three days," Bhattacharjee adds.