From making a pandal using cashews to portraying Goddess Durga as Bharat Mata (Mother India) encouraging the soldiers to creating a facsimile of a Buddhist temple, Rajasthan Mitra Mandal is known for its unique concept and elegant decoration. Though the attractive installations may have become a thing of the past and the celebrations may have turned low- key, the organisers of this pandal have decided to convey a social message on ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ this year.
“With the increasing number of brutal atrocities against women making headlines every other day, we have thought of spreading a message on the importance of the girl child. According to the Hindu scriptures, a daughter is always worshipped. During the nine days of Navratri where on each day a form of Goddess Durga is paid obeisance to, I feel no occasion would have been better suited than to welcome the girl child into this world,” said Ashok Purohit, president Rajasthan Mitra Mandal.
As a part of the campaign, during these nine days the organisers have decided to support underprivileged families who are blessed with a girl child and give them each a token amount of Rs 5,100 along with a basketful of goodies for the little one.
“On the ninth day, the selected families will be invited to the pandal premises and honoured right in front of Maa Durga. It is not a financial aid that we are giving them but instead is a gesture of our love and best wishes for the child’s future. The idea is to encourage girl children and support a good upbringing for them,” added Purohit.
Targeting families from the weaker section of the society, the committee members are identifying beneficiaries who are being blessed with a girl child in Sadar Hospital, Sewa Sadan and other places where people from well- off families do not go for delivery.
“Our organisation has also invited all Durga Puja committees across Jharkhand to take up this initiative. Lets come together to strengthen and educate the girl – a form of sakshat Maa Durga. A step taken by us can give a new direction to the society,” added Purohit.
Celebrating the festival in a grand way since 1979, this is the first time the Rajasthan Mitra Mandal pandal will have no fanfare and will also impose restrictions on the entry of visitors owing to the pandemic. As against 2019 when the pandal was made 41 feet high and 35 feet broad, this year the structure will only be about 15 feet high and 20 feet broad with a budget of Rs 5 lakh as compared to Rs 20 lakh spent the previous year.
In view of the present situation, provisions for online darshan have also been made. Live streaming of the aarti, pushpanjali and all other rituals will be done on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube. To avoid a crowd, the committee has also decided to not hold any bhog distribution and the prasad will be given to households living in the vicinity of the pandal.
The organisers have also made arrangements of sanitising the pandal premises on a regular basis. Thermal screening, hand sanitiser dispensers and masks will also be ensured along with social distancing norms.
