Four-year-previous Fatima had come all the best way to Kolkata on the invitation of Tamal Dutta, an engineer at Kamarhati municipality who stays at Arjunpur, Baguihati.(Express Photo by Partha Paul)
A 4-12 months-previous Muslim girl was on Sunday worshipped as Kumari – a customized of paying obeisance to a pre-puberty girl as Goddess, sending out the message of transcending non secular limitations throughout Durga Puja.
Fatima, daughter of a grocery retailer proprietor close to Fatehpur Sikri, had come all the best way to Kolkata on the invitation of Tamal Dutta, an engineer at Kamarhati municipality who stays at Arjunpur, Baguihati in North East fringes of town. Fatima’s maternal uncles Md Ahamed and Md Ibrahim and mom Bushra Begum have been additionally current in the Dutta household the place the ceremony was carried out on Sunday morning.
The custom of worshipping younger, pre-puberty ladies through the Durga Puja is over a century previous. It is claimed that Kumari Puja was began by Swami Vivekananda in 1901 on the Belur Math to underline the significance of girls.
The ceremony occurred on the Dutta household on Sunday morning. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
Tamal Dutta instructed The Indian Express that he has been celebrating Durga Pujas since 2013. ” We first began with a Brahmin girl. But in subsequent years, we’ve got chosen non-Brahmin ladies, together with a Dalit, additionally as Kumari. This time, we considered worshipping a Muslim girl,”.
“Does she look like Muslim? What is looking like Muslim? I can see the qualities of a Brahmin in a Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist or a Jain”.The Durga puja organiser stated in response to the repeated query on why he selected a Muslim girl. Dutta additionally stated that he has not confronted any opposition for selling this interfaith relationship.
It is claimed that Kumari Puja was began by Swami Vivekananda in 1901 on the Belur Math to underline the significance of girls. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
Ahamed, alternatively, stated they felt very pleased Fatima been chosen as a Kumari.“This country is for all. It is as much of Hindus as it for Muslims. This development will give a message that members of the two communities want to live together in peace, ” he stated. Bushra Begum mom of Fatima stated, ” I don’t consider in Hindu Muslim, it’s all about humanity.”
Like at all times, Durga Puja in Kolkata that shows myriads themes yearly has been far more than a non secular and a social carnival. Tamal Dutta and Ahmed have despatched out a robust message of brotherhood and coexistence by this 12 months festivities.
