Kolkata: In the 300-year-old history of Durga Puja in Begal, this will be the first time, that the devotees will worship a transgender Durga Maa idol that has been made after androgynous form of Shiva and Parvati, Ardhanarishvara.
This is organised by a non-profit trust, Pratyay Gender Trust, futher in collaboration with local puja committee Uddyami Yuvak Brinda has decided to include a dozen transgender women from the Pratyay self group.
With the break of age tradition where everything from conceptualising the idol to decorating the marquee (Pandal) is male dominated, this time the unique idea was proposed by 55-year-old transgender, Bhanu Naskar and crafted by China Pal, who is the only woman artisan of Kumortuli, north Kolkata.
One side of the ideal will have a moustache, a pectoral instead of a breast, smaller eyelashes and a dhoti (traditional male garment tied around the waist).
The other half is the female Durga idol usually seen at puja pandals.
“Ours is an attempt to question these practices and caste/ class structures and to cross gender lines – as ‘women’ and ‘outcastes’ – who have traditionally been barred from taking part in integral aspects of socio-religious functions such as Durga Pujas, where decision making powers and participation has by and large remained in the control of men and powerful and upper castes/ classes,” says the Pratyay Gender Trust Team on their official facebook page.
