A nondescript hamlet in Cooch Behar is organising Durga Puja for the first time on the initiative of a group of women who have contributed money from the assistance they receive under the Lakhsmir Bhandar scheme of the Bengal government.
Till now, residents of Khapaidanga-Pakurtala village under the Dauaguri panchayat of Cooch Behar Sadar subdivision had to walk up to neighbouring areas to celebrate Durga Puja.
Karuna Dey, one of the few women who took the initiative to host the puja, said they had contributed ₹1,000 each.
“Around 30 of us have paid ₹1,000 for the puja out of the money we have received under the Lakhsmir Bhandar scheme. We are jointly making all the arrangements. Later, other women staying in the village receiving assistance have made donations. Some have paid ₹700, some ₹500 and some even ₹100,” Karuna said.
The Mamata Banerjee government provides monthly financial assistance to women under the Lakhsmir Bhandar scheme. Those belonging to general categories receive ₹1,000 per month while those from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe receive ₹1,200.
The village is now buzzing with excitement.
“We are not collecting donations from shops, stopping cars on the road for contributions, or even asking financially well-off locals for help. We are not even relying on our husbands' money. This puja is being solely funded by us out of the money we saved from the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme,” said Swapna Dey, another organiser.
The women said they had distributed the work among themselves so that the puja could be carried out smoothly.
She said that they had earlier planned a Durga Puja in the village, which is around 7km away from the Cooch Behar town.
“However, we could not succeed due to financial constraints. This time, we were determined to join hands and it gives a great feeling that for our initiative, a Durga Puja would be held in our village for the first time,” Swapna added.
“We are still in search of female priests and dhakis (traditional drummers). It will then truly be an all-woman puja,” said Swapna.
