#NoConditionsApply: Inclusive Sindoor Khela in Delhi-NCR this year

It had been 35 years since Iva Mukherjee, a resident of

Greater Kailash

took part in

Sindoor

Khela, a celebration that takes place on the last day of Durga Puja, in which traditionally married women first smear goddess Durga with sindoor and then each other. But on the last day of Durga Puja this year, she was surprised and her heart was filled with joy when women at Durgotsav, Greater Kailash 2 smeared sindoor on her again. Following #NoConditionsApply, a campaign by

The Times

of India, which was aimed at breaking social barriers and focused on inclusion this year, several pandals in the city reached out to widows, transgenders, and members of the LGBTQ community to celebrate Sindoor Khela for the first time. The campaign, which started with one pandal in Kolkata last year, is now a nation-wide movement.

The organisers of the various pandals in the city tell us that they reached out to many communities for an inclusive Sindoor Khela this year. “I checked with several people associated with the puja about our inclusive Sindoor Khela. They told me that if women are comfortable in putting sindoor, it’s not an issue. But we should not disrespect anyone’s sentiments. While some were initially hesitant, once we explained the concept to them, they were fine with it. For all these years, these women have been part of the puja but we could not make them part of the Sindoor Khela which happened for the first time this year,” said Suprateem Ghosh, joint secretary of the organising committee at Navapalli Durga Puja Samity, CR Park.

Green Valley, Faridabad Durga Puja

Cooperative Durga Puja, CR Park

Crossings Republik Bengali Cultural Association


“It felt really nice to play sindoor after five years since my husband died. It is a day of celebration and people should include everyone for this festival,” said Jayanti, a resident of CR Park.
Another pandal in NCR witnessed the presence of transgenders for the first time. Jalvayu Vihar Sanskritik, a pandal in Noida welcomed transgenders who joined the celebrations of Sindoor Khela for the first time and seemed quite happy to be part of it. Not only were they welcomed at the pandal but women also smeared sindoor on them and made them part of the celebrations on the last day of the puja.

Navapalli Durga Puja Samity, CR Park

Vivekananda Vihar Puja Samiti

Durgotsav GK-2

Matri Mandir Sarbojanin Durga Puja Samiti, Safdarjung Enclave

Prantic Cultural Society, Indirapuram

Balaka Durgotsav Committee, sector 61, Noida

Dakshin Palli Durga Puja, CR Park, pocket 52

Vaishali Cultural Association