'Onno Durga' Awareness Campaign For Differently Abled & Senior Citizen Friendly Durgotsab Award 2023

Durga Puja in Kolkata has started off on a grand note with unique pandals this year. But, amid this, let's not forget the differently abled people as well and try to make their puja special too.

'Onno Durga' Awareness Campaign

An Education & Cultural Centre for the Blind & other Differently Abled in collaboration with Forum for Durgotsab, Saini International School, Mamta Sumit Binani Foundation, Rotary Club of Calcutta Old City have come up with organizing awards for Puja committees who are taking an endeavor to make their Pandals friendly for Senior Citizens and the Disabled where 300 Durga Puja Committees would be participating for the same. They have also showcased Onno Durga concept as an awareness campaign at Hazra Park Durgotsab, Kolkata. (Image Source: PR Handout)

The event was graced by the presence of a lot of eminent personalities like: Sri. Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Minister of Agriculture, Govt of WB; Sri. Sayan Deb Chatterjee, Joint Secretary of Hazra Park Durgotsab Committee; Sri. Tapan Pattanayak, CEO of Saini Group; CS (Dr.) Adv. Mamta Binani, Chief Patron of NIP NGO & President of MSME Development Forum WB; Sri. Jewel Chowdhury, President Rotary Club Calcutta Old City; Sri. Debajyoti Roy, Secretary of NIP NGO along with many other eminent personalities. (Image Source: PR Handout)

Speaking to the media, CS (Dr.) Adv. Mamta Binani, Chief Patron of NIP NGO & President of MSME Development Forum WB said, “We have taken this unique initiative to create the Onno Durga concept as an awareness campaign. Through this event we want to showcase Visually Impaired Goddess Durga and Asur, Wheelchair bound Ganesh, Intellectual Disability Laxmi, Saraswati and Kartik. The purpose is to give a huge acknowledgement saying that disability is a special ability and I want to say to the world that this special ability needs to get its share of attention and inclusion in the main stream and on this auspicious occasion of Durga Puja, when Shakti is worshipped and celebrated. In the past we have launched the Braille Durga Puja Guide and Braille Display Stand for the Blinds.” (Image Source: PR Handout)

Speaking about the event, Sri. Sayan Deb Chatterjee, Joint Secretary of Hazra Park Durgotsab Committee said, “Generally, Puja awards are judged on the parameters of glamour, splendor, artwork and visual gimmicks. But now the criterion has been changed as it will also be judged on the grounds of facilities we offer to the physically challenged. Durga Puja is the biggest festival of West Bengal. The people of West Bengal enjoy the festival with great pomp. But people forget about the other part of the society who are differently able and also senior citizens." (Image Source: PR Handout)

Speaking on the occasion Sri. Tapan Pattanayak, CEO of Saini Group said, “We know how resourceful and effective is NIP in their work field and it's our honor to be associated with such a noble cause. Earlier Pandal-hopping and viewing the deity was a far-fetched dream for the differently-abled & senior citizens as they were unable to visit the crowded pandals.” (Image Source: PR Handout)

Durga Puja in Bengal is a celebration of joy but at the same time, we need to keep in mind the lives of specially-abled people so that they too can enjoy t festivities in their own way. (Image Source: PR Handout)