September 27, 2025

Kolkata’s Sonagachi, one of India’s largest red-light areas, is buzzing with excitement! Over 12,000 sex workers here are celebrating the 13th edition of their very own Durga Puja. This colourful festival started in 2013 after a hard battle for their right to worship. The women erupted in joy as MLA Madan Mitra inaugurated their Durga Puja pandal in the heart of north Kolkata. Mr. Mitra, also the President of the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC), gave a strong message: “I am a worker; you are a worker. Every single person works for money. Then why do we criticise sex workers for their work? They are working with dignity, not stealing money from anyone.” This celebration is more than just a festival. Even though Durga idols are made from soil taken from Sonagachi, sex workers were stopped from entering Durga Puja pandals because of social taboos. But they never gave up! In 2013, they went to the Calcutta High Court and won the right to hold their own Durga Puja inside Sonagachi. The journey wasn’t easy. Locals called them “tainted” and said their celebrations were “impure”. The women faced both physical and verbal abuse but stood strong. After the court order, they held their Durga Puja in a small area inside Sonagachi. The joy was massive! They decorated the pandal with bright colours, music, and rituals, living their dream of having their own festival. A sex worker shared with The Hindu, wanting to stay anonymous, “Durga Puja is for everyone. They take the soil from our courtyard to make their idols, but do not allow us in the same Durga Pujas. Why this discrimination? I feel happy that we were able to fight for our rights and grab the opportunity to celebrate our puja.” Mr. Mitra also highlighted Durbar’s success, saying the collective has won many basic human rights for sex workers and aims to get them recognition as workers under Indian law. “ Our Durga Puja is a landmark step towards getting recognition in society. In the long run we will continue this same fight to get our workers’ rights,” said Bishakha Laskar, secretary of DMSC. With over 40,000 members in West Bengal, Durbar plans to spread the Durga Puja celebrations to more districts. They have already started Pujas in Durgapur, Asansol, Bishnupur, and Alipurduar, with promises to reach even further soon. This unique celebration is a fiery blend of faith, courage, and the fight for dignity. Sonagachi’s sex workers show the world that no taboo can stop them from worshipping their Goddess Durga and claiming their rightful place in society.

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Tags: Sonagachi, Durga puja, Sex workers, Durbar mahila samanwaya committee, Madan mitra, Durga puja celebration,