Women run the show at this Durga puja mandal in Mumbai

Ananda Utsav Durga Puja in Lokhandwala, which was started by nine ‘Probashi Bengali’ women last year, is the only Durga puja mandal in the city that has all-women

Ananda Utsav Durga Puja in Lokhandwala, which was started by nine ‘Probashi Bengali’ women last year, is the only Durga puja mandal in the city that has all-women committee. Probashi Bengali refers to those members of the community who do not live in West Bengal.

This year, the organisers plan to felicitate women achievers in the field of cinema, dance, music and human rights. This will include actor Moushumi Chatterjee, table exponent Anuradha Pal, columnist Bhawana Somaaya, dancer Madhuparna Kumar and singer-activist Ritika Sahni.

The organisers say that they started the mandal as a means to familiarise their children with Bengali culture.

“Our children study in English medium schools in the city, so their exposure to the Bengali language is limited to what we speak at home. They do not get the same cultural exposure that we did in our childhood, which is why this festival was started,” said Shalini Gupta, a committee member of the mandal.

“Women exhibit true strength, be it at home or at work. Maa Durga symbolises Shakti, and organising the puja is a way of expressing our Shakti,” said Gargi Chattopadhyay, president of the festival.