As Durga Ma made her way to the city this year, non-profit NGO Sanlaap also soaked in the festivities and hosted its own Durga Puja. The premises were lit up and ‘dhaakis’ arrived just in time to keep the mood upbeat. An idol was procured from Garia and, on Sasthi, the celebrations took off with the customary ‘bodhon’
Photographs by Pintu Mondal
Tapoti Bhowmick, the secretary of Sanlaap, danced with the kids and ‘dhaakis’ after helping with the rituals. ‘Ever since 1992 (when the first shelter was founded) when we had rescued trafficked girls from red-light areas and placed them in a rented flat, we have always thought about how we could bring them joy. We had about 15 girls at that time and such places were not fit for these girls as some were trafficked and others even abused. This is when we decided to celebrate Durga Puja by taking them all on a trip to Puri,’ she said
The girls at the NGO applied mehendi on each other as they prepared for the Durga Puja celebrations. The girls are taught formal and non-formal education, and vocational training and are provided psychological support through counselling and therapy. They also promote holistic development, empowering children to regain confidence so that they can have a life of their own once they turn 18
Indrani Sinha, born on March 15, 1950, in Kolkata, founded Sanlaap and transitioned from teaching to development work in 1977, collaborating with several international organisations until 1987. A highly respected figure in women’s development, she contributed immensely as an expert on national and international platforms, including the National Advisory Committee on Trafficking
