Devi’s day out

On Mahashtami, the biggest day of Durga Puja festivities, we get you all the action from pandals and beyond, that you shouldn’t miss durga lends her voice to women’s safety.

Whether it’s Ramlilas or Durga Pujas in Delhi this year, the gods are all standing up for women’s safety. For instance, the 17-year-old Chittaranjan Park D Block Durga Puja has themed its shows to drive clear the message that women must get their power back.

An-artisan-gives-the-final-touches-to-an-idol-of-goddess-Durga-ahead-of-the-Durga-Puja-festival-at-a-workshop-in-Allahabad-AFP-Photo

The puja has street-plays exploring challenges like domestic violence, work-place harassment, sexual abuse and rape, by noted theatre artist Arvind Gaur and his Asmita theatre group. “The message is that you worship her, but do you give her the same place in society?” asks Gaur.

Art’s ode to the occasion

Debi: This solo exhibition of installations by Narayan Sinha uses discarded traditional objects to present Debi as a bride between craft and fine arts. On till: Nov 15 at Art Alive Gallery, 120, Sector 44, Gurgaon Timings: 11 am-7pm

Devi…Devi: This exhibition of paintings by 10 women artists celebrates the power, beauty and glory of nine Goddesses from Indian mythology. On till Oct 26 at Art Indus Gallery, Santushti Shopping complex, Chanakyapuri. Timings: 11 am-7 pm

Besides the Pujas organised by various committees, there are those which take place at Bengali homes and have history attached to them. For example, those conducted by Mukherjees, the Homchowdhuries as well as the Guharoys. “Our puja is over 200 years old. It was started in Bangladesh before the Partition, and came here through Kolkata,” says Santosh Kumar Mukherjee, the head of the Mukherjee household Puja in CR Park. Sati Homchowdhury, who head Homchowdhury’s household Puja, says, “On all the four days starting from breakfast to dinner we feed almost 300 to 400 people. We shifted to Delhi in 1958.”