Updated: October 25, 2020 8:30:03 pm
The Durga Puja committee here consists of 31 members, including 18 Muslims and 13 Hindus. (Express photo)
Setting an example of unity and brotherhood, Hindus and Muslims in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Agartala have been organizing a Durga Puja together for 19 years. This time too, the two slum communities of Mollapara, one of 59 slums registered in and around Agartala municipal council areas, have established a Durga Puja pandal in Tular Maath, a children’s playground.
The Durga Puja committee here consists of 31 members, including 18 Muslims and 13 Hindus. This time, the committee did not take money from those outside their slum, but raised Rs 55,000 from each other and, through donations from some sponsors, managed to organize Rs 80,000 for the Puja, a budget lower than the previous year’s budget. from Rs 1.2 lakh.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, Mollapara Durga Puja committee chair Ruhiz Miah said that with this year’s Covid-19 pandemic, they are using a large chunk of their budget for wellness activities in the slum. In the pandal, his focus is on maintaining social distancing, ensuring everyone wears a mask and uses disinfectants.
“We are a mixed room of about 200 families in Mollapara, including Hindus and Muslims. We started our collaborative Puja in 2002 to enjoy the festivities and avoid any violence and misunderstandings, ”said Ruhiz Miah.
The residents of Mollapara are mostly daily gamblers, rickshaw pullers, vendors, etc.
“We are poor people here; we all need help from each other. So helping each other before thinking about our religion is easy for us. Hindus help Muslims in Waz Mahfil, cooperate during Eid and other religious activities, join us in our nikahs (weddings) and janaza (funeral rituals). We joined them in Durga Puja and their weddings and cremations, ”Rustam Ali, another resident of the poor neighborhood of Mollapara, told this publication.
Taking into account Covid-19 and the economic difficulties that accompany it, the club canceled all cultural events this year and organized food distribution campaigns in the poor neighborhood. “We have allocated 35 percent of our bidding budget to distribute food, citrus fruits, and clothing to the poorest in our community. We hope this helps them during the pandemic, when their income is severely affected, ”said Tapan Dutta, secretary of the Puja Committee.
Although organizers have allowed a limited number of devotees to visit the pandal at one time, people from nearby slums, such as Moilakhola and Bitterban, are also heading to the pandal.
Tripura revised its Durga Puja guidelines twice this year, including the obligation to keep pandals open from all sides, in case of any emergency exit requirements. The roofs of the pandals must be sealed and fair of any kind near the pandals is prohibited. Some posts can be installed, separated from each other. Pushpanjali has to organize through microphones, where devotees are to bring flowers from their homes and offer prayers in batches of 10-15 at a time.
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