Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): “Durga Lives in You and Me,” reads the banner with a black background at the main entry to pandal of Durga Badi in E-7 sector of Arera Colony in the city. Two torches stand on both the sides of entry gate, symbolising protest and anger.
The pandal near 11 Number Bus Stop, themed on growing gender-based violence in the country, is a part of Durga Puja celebrations organised by Heychel Foundation. The unique initiative is not meant to offer solutions but aims at raising a voice.
A 200-metre stretch of the road leading to pandal has been turned into a public art gallery with posters designed by graphic artistes from Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai. “How Long!” asks one of them, giving details of the incident at a hospital in Kolkata that rocked the nation. “We want justice,” it declares.
Through text, slogans and calligraphy, the posters creatively portray the agony of survivors of sexual violence and the anger such incidents generated. Instead of red and white - the traditional colours associated with Bengali Durga Puja - the pandal has been painted in red and black to symbolise the dark realities of our times.
In front of pandal stand nine paintings made by local artistes led by Gond artist Padma Shri Durga Bai Vyam. The artistes have painted nine forms of Durga, also themed on sexual violence against women and girls and on different forms of gender-based discrimination. On the roof of pandal, hangs a sacred red-bordered white sarees, dirtied with handprints in black, depicting how the purest symbol of Goddess has also got soiled.
The walls of pandal are painted with slogans, No Means No and Ab Band Karo. Foundation director Dipanjan Mukherjee told Free Press that they had been celebrating Durga Puja in traditional Bengali style for last three years. “This time, we decided to abandon the usual decorations and instead focus on sexual violence against women and girls.
What happened in Kolkata was on our minds but then no city is safe for women and girls as recent incidents of sexual assault on minors in Bhopal have shown,” he added. “We worship Durga but rape and kill little girls who are Durga incarnate. If these incidents don’t move a person, then no humanity is left in him,” Dipanjan said. The pandal will remain open 24 x 7 till October 12.
