Durga Puja | Art and Culture | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryLondoners celebrate 59 years of oldest Durga Puja while the festival enjoys first year of UNESCO Heritage Tag

Londoners celebrate 59 years of oldest Durga Puja while the festival enjoys first year of UNESCO Heritage Tag

Written by: Amrita Priya

(September 29, 2022) The conch shells have added festive fervour to the air much in advance this year. One of India’s biggest festivals and the most popular in West Bengal, ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ got inscribed in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2021. Entire eastern India and people of the diaspora are overwhelmed with happiness. It’s the first year of the ten-days festival (falling between 26th September-5th October this year), after UNESCO’s coveted announcement. West Bengal organised a massive “thank you” show on 1st September that took the shape of a street carnival with super-elated people beaming with unparalleled joy.

A glimpse from the thank-you show organised in Kolkata to thank UNESCO on September 1, 2022 | Photo credit : IANS

Soon after the announcement was made in December 2021, Eric Falt, Director of UNESCO New Delhi had conveyed his happiness in a press release:

I would like to offer warm congratulations to India, its people and especially all those who worked on the nomination dossier. I am confident that this inscription will offer encouragement to the local communities that celebrate Durga Puja, including all the traditional craftspeople, designers, artists, and organizers of large-scale cultural events, as well as tourists and visitors who partake in the inclusive festivity that is Durga Puja.

Like every year, this year too, artisans have worked day and night to meet the deadline of lakhs of orders for idols locally and from across the boundaries. Cultural fervour is hard to miss with performing arts, folk music, culinary, craft, and other traditional offerings all being geared up to add grandeur to the celebrations across the globe; especially when things were kept toned down for the past couple of years due to the pandemic.

Like the rest of the world, the organisers of Hamstead Durga Puja in London are experiencing a huge adrenaline rush as the countdown begins. It is the 59th year of the Puja which was started by a group of students back in 1963 in London.

The story of the oldest Durga Puja in the UK

Durga idol of Hampstead Durga Puja that is organised by London Durga Puja Dusserah Association

In the autumn of 1963, Durga Puja got organised for the first time in Maryward Centre, Russell Square, by a group of young Bengali students who formed the London Durga Puja Dusserah Association. Tushar Kanti Ghosh, the editor of the reputed newspaper Jugantar and publishing house Amrita Bazar Patrika was in London during that time. He was approached by the organising students to donate the Durga Pratima (idol of the goddess), which he gladly did. The enthusiastic students distributed leaflets at Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street and raised funds from prominent members of the Asian community.

Devotees at Hampstead Durga Puja, London

The celebration of the first year was super successful and attracted communities from Edinburgh, Glasgow, and even from Germany. Gradually the community grew in size. The young student organisers were now married and had children, and the festivities started getting bigger and bigger. It started being popularly known as the Hampstead Durga Puja.

Ladies of the organising committee who seamlessly take care of rituals, bhog and other aspects devoting their time from much in advance

Prominent members of the diaspora have given their support and presence over the years to it. Lord Swaraj Paul (Indian-born British business magnate and philanthropist), Lord Raj Kumar Bagri (Indian-born British businessman and a Conservative member of the House of Lords), Nirmal Sethia (Chairman and Managing Director of N Sethia Group), and Satya Narayan Gaurisaria (Indian born British company secretary) have been some of the renowned patrons. The rich legacy of Hampstead Durga Puja started in 1963 continues with second and third-generation British Indians fondly embracing it.

A rare treasure – the brochure published by London Durga Puja Dusserah Association, back in 1979

Connecting from UK, Chandana Sanyal, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Middlesex University, London tells Global Indian, “The celebrations moved to its current venue, (Hampstead Town Hall, Belsize Park, London NW3 4QP) in 1966. This is the oldest Durga Puja in London and we try to involve the younger generation as much as possible so that they stay connected and take the tradition forward.” She is the current secretary of the London Durga Puja Dusserah Association which is a registered UK charity.

The legacy is fondly carried forward…

The team behind the grand celebrations

We are a registered UK charity and our aim is community engagement, promotion, and celebration of the rich legacy of the Asian culture in the UK.

“There is an emphasis on the rituals, starting from bodhan, puja, anjali, and arati both in the morning and evening each day, and kumari puja, pratima baran, sindoor khela, and finally bisarjan.There are also lots of cultural programmes and children’s activities such as art competitions and quizzes, to teach the younger generation the nuances of the culture in a fun way, tells Chandana.

Former Deputy Mayor of Camden, London, Cllr Richard Cotton and his colleague at Hampstead Durga Puja, last year

“Kids have been making a significant contribution to the annual puja brochure through their written reflections, sketches, and artwork which mirror their perceptions of Durga puja. We involve them in activities like garland making etc. so that they learn to take responsibilities related to the festivities.” Away from India, the adults of the diaspora have been successful in engaging the younger generation to continue the celebrations for the last six decades.

Young performers of cultural programmes held during the puja

London Durga Puja Dusserah Association has been promoting local talents, creating a platform for them to showcase their skills and become confident performers. “This year our variety cultural programme will include dance recitals, contemporary songs, and a local music band,” says Chandana who sets aside five days of her annual leave to organise the puja seamlessly.

The resident boy band, Boyesh

Though there is no holiday in the UK for the festivities the members of the diaspora make a point to attend almost a week-long festivity without fail. Footfall on the premises is higher during evening time, even though the rituals and festivities are day-long. All get together to enjoy the cultural programmes that are practiced since days in advance. Both elders and youngsters enjoy bonhomie amidst performances.

Bhog – the integral part of puja

Contribution of Durga Puja, the significant soft power, to the Indian economy

In 2019 British Council carried out mapping of the creative economy around Durga Puja on behalf of the Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal, and in association with the Queen Mary University of London, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and Smart Cube, Bangalore. The sectors that the researchers focussed on were installation of art & decoration, idol-making, illumination, literature & publishing, advertising & sponsorship, films & entertainment, and crafts & design. Key takeaways of the report:

The total estimated economic worth of the creative industries around Durga Puja is ₹ 32,377 crore.
92 percent of Puja organisers spend over 20 percent of their budget paying artists.
Many artists from rural Bengal, earn a substantial portion of their yearly income during the festival. Even established artists find this time of the year to be monetarily the best with bookings of their dates much in advance both in India and abroad.
Most of the artisan families who have been involved in idol-making both for India and across the borders are doing so over generations. Several businesses are more than 200 years old.
Special puja edition magazines revenues amount to ₹15 crores.

To know more about UNESCO Heritage Tag, visit Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) website

Follow London Durga Puja Dusserah Association (Hampstead Durga Puja, Belsize Park) on its website, Instagram and Facebook

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Published on 29, Sep 2022

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Power of the Pen: Brit-desi children’s author Manjeet Mann is actor, playright, trainer & more

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>, The Other Eden, She’s the bitchy one, Flying Solo, A dangerous woman and Starting Out – all plays she wrote and acted in give you a glimpse of her repertoire.

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An affinity towards young adults, writing for teenagers is special for Mann. She attempts to empower young minds through her book. “My teenage self had many stories to tell. I understand the teenage voice. So, when it came to writing books, the teenage voice just came out, and what I wrote became suitable for a young audience,” she avers.

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Four hours of writing in short spurts with a workout to clear her mind, Manjeet is working on her next, cajoling herself to write 1,000 words a day. The award-winning author-actress is sporty, loves boxing and is a registered trainer too. Pilates, open water swimming, running long-distance , she was a personal trainer in the initial years of her career while finding a foothold in acting.

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Love for India

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Children's Author | Manjeet Mann| Global Indian

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Ansh Khanna: Creating Jin JiJi, a craft gin that celebrates India’s botanical heritage

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Ansh Khanna | Jin Jiji | Global Indian

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Driven to learn

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[caption id="attachment_52282" align="aligncenter" width="437"] Ansh Khanna | Jin Jiji | Global Indian Jin Jiji by Peak Spirits[/caption]

For someone who loves the world of wines and spirits, he is quite enthusiastic about producing more and more quality wine and spirit. “I would like more people to experience the synthesis of phenomenal and mystical spirits that gains its uniqueness from blending botanicals and invent more of such wilderness hidden amidst the majestic soils of nature. Hence, my future plans include many new spirit offerings in the works and I want to base my future endeavours out of the same,” he signs off.

Ansh Khanna’s journey from Delhi to becoming a prominent part in the global spirits industry exemplifies his dedication and passion for innovation. With Jin JiJi, he has successfully highlighted India’s rich botanical heritage, bringing unique flavors to the international market. His continuous pursuit of excellence, combined with his deep-rooted connection to his homeland, drives his mission to position Indian spirits at the forefront of the global craft scene.

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Vandana Luthra the businesswoman who brought the winds of change to the Indian wellness industry

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Fast forward to 2021 and the numbers speak for themselves. The VLCC health care operates in 326 locations in 153 cities and 13 countries in South Asia, South East Asia, the GCC region and east Africa; the company manufactures and markets 170 hair care, skin care and body care products along with functional and fortified foods, which are sold through one lakh outlets in India and over 10,000 outlets across various countries and e-commerce channels.

Today, her chain of transformation centers VLCC is a brand to reckon with. Vandana’s work also earned her the Padma Shri in 2013, the Enterprise Asia Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2010, and the Asian Business Leaders Forum Trailblazer Award in 2012. She was also ranked 26th in the Forbes Asia list of 50 Power Businesswomen in the APAC Region and was featured in Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business in India list for five straight years.

Indian businesswoman Vandana Luthra

Long road ahead

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Vandana says she realized quite early in her entrepreneurial career that there were certain stereotypes that needed to be challenged. "Nutrition is the key aspect of providing wellness, weight management, skin and hair treatments for a 360-degree transformation. Though there were women out there who had very impressive qualifications in dietetics, very few had taken up that academic qualification to make a career in the nutrition domain," she says. Most women would only opt for these courses to attract good matrimonial prospects.

[caption id="attachment_13281" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Indian businesswoman Vandana Luthra Vandana with her husband Mukesh[/caption]

The Delhi girl with a mission

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"Our 3,000-odd colleagues across 12 countries are the torchbearers of VLCC's success," smiles Vandana. She credits her husband Mukesh and their two daughters who helped her ride the tide throughout her entrepreneurial journey. "Then came along my VLCC family which has grown over the years and has always been my strength," smiles Vandana, who was appointed the first chairperson of the Beauty and Wellness sector skill council, an initiative that provides training under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana scheme, in 2014.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4WHiAs2WAM[/embed]

Giving Back

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Voicing up: Advocate Radhika Sainath’s legal work on free speech and human rights

(November 7, 2023) The world has been witnessing some very disturbing news from Israel and Palestine, as the war escalated between the two nations in the last month. However, while most world leaders are watching the conflict from the sidelines, an Indian American advocate is gearing up to defend the rights of Palestine citizens, and those who are being attacked for speaking up about these issues. Radhika Sainath, a senior staff attorney at Palestine Legal, has seen a significant increase in requests for legal help since the conflict began after the Hamas attack on October 7. "I received over 400 calls from lawyers, doctors, journalists, professors, teachers, students, and other workers in nonprofits, government, and the corporate world. These individuals have been fired, doxxed, cancelled, censored, and physically threatened for speaking out for Palestinian freedom or criticising Israel, or not sufficiently marching in lockstep behind Israel's actions," the advocate mentioned, adding, "We track legislation, anti-boycott legislation for example, and we provide people who need legal support with lawyers in all 50 states." An important part of the Palestine Legal, Radhika has spent the last eight years of her life doing groundbreaking legal work on free speech, censorship, and the right

eople who need legal support with lawyers in all 50 states."

An important part of the Palestine Legal, Radhika has spent the last eight years of her life doing groundbreaking legal work on free speech, censorship, and the right to boycott. "We’re legal defense for the movement for Palestinian rights in the United States," the advocate explained in an earlier interview, adding, "If an activist or pretty much anyone is censored or punished or has a legal question or is threatened because of their support for Palestinian rights, Palestine Legal is there. We have your back. That is what we do."

Carrying the torch

A remarkable student from a young age, Radhika completed her education at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and the University of California, San Diego. Before her legal studies, the advocate was actively involved in organising workers across the United States and Canada through her work with the Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HzqFN2-nis

Radhika has been a legal advocate representing clients in both individual and class action civil and constitutional rights cases, addressing issues such as discrimination, human rights violations, and prison conditions. The advocate's work was carried out at one of California's most esteemed civil rights firms, where she successfully handled a variety of state and federal class actions, as well as other federal civil rights cases. "I have organised union textile workers in East Coast factories and the Los Angeles garment district, monitored human-rights abuses of indigenous villagers during the 2000 Mexico elections, and spent a year volunteering for the International Solidarity Movement in the West Bank," the advocate shared.

Fighting for justice

After a long and illustrious career, the advocate joined the Palestine Legal. While it was always clear that she would have to deal with several difficult cases at the organisation, Radhika was quite surprised when she realised that most of their clients were students. "About 80 percent of the people who come to us are students or scholars. What we do is document incidents of suppression. It was bizarre. 'Why are only students contacting us,' we wondered," the advocate said, adding, "Eventually I think what we realised was that the opposition gets that that’s where change happens. Whether it was the Vietnam anti-war movement, the anti-South African apartheid movement, you name it, college students were there pushing their governments for change, for justice. So that’s where most of our work has been focussed. Since 2014 we’ve documented, that we’ve responded to over 2,000 incidents of suppression. That’s just really the tip of the iceberg."

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[caption id="attachment_46559" align="aligncenter" width="603"] Advocate | Radhika Sainath | Global Indian Radhika at the 2015 Palestine Center Annual Conference.[/caption]

"I think there’s been a sea change in just my lifetime as far as support for Palestinian rights," Radhika expressed, "We have several regular people, who are being punished for speaking out for Palestinian rights. We saw farmers, makeup artists, journalists, writers, therapists, doctors, and teachers getting fired for speaking out for Palestinian rights. They were being pulled into meetings with their bosses. They were told to delete tweets. So, all I want to tell fellow advocates is if you have Palestinian clients coming in, they might need extra support this time."

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Srikanth Bolla: An entrepreneur, a leader, and a visionary

(April 17, 2024) Born into a family of rice farmers, entrepreneur Srikanth Bolla's arrival in the world wasn't met with the joyous anticipation one might expect. Visually impaired from birth, some relatives suggested that his parents should abandon him, deeming him as someone who wouldn't be able to help them in their later years. Classmates scorned him as he was visually challenged. He decided to turn his disadvantage into an opportunity and there is no looking back for him. After having fought thousands of odds, today Srikanth serves as an inspiration for countless students and adults. Despite facing numerous challenges, the Global Indian has emerged as a young and prosperous entrepreneur, running Bollant Industries, which has an impressive turnover of ₹150 crore - which incidentally was also funded by former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. "I lack eyesight, but not vision. An entrepreneur's life's a roller-coaster and one needs self-belief," said the MIT alum, whose only aim in life right now is to elevate his company's turnover to ₹1,000 crore within the next three years. Beyond that, he envisions taking the company public through an IPO and securing a listing on the stock exchange. And now, one of

sion. An entrepreneur's life's a roller-coaster and one needs self-belief," said the MIT alum, whose only aim in life right now is to elevate his company's turnover to ₹1,000 crore within the next three years. Beyond that, he envisions taking the company public through an IPO and securing a listing on the stock exchange.

And now, one of India's biggest production houses, T-Series Films, is ready to release a biopic on his life. Titled Srikanth, the movie stars Rajkummar Rao and Jyothika. "I would like for more and more people to know about my journey," said the entrepreneur during the trailer launch of the movie, adding, "I can't wait for the movie to release."

Facing rejections

Picture this: every day, navigating through a maze of muddy puddles, dodging vehicles that seem intent on hitting you, all along a journey spanning four to five kilometers. Now, envision undertaking this daunting task regardless of the season – whether scorching summer, chilly winter, or torrential monsoon – all while coping with visual impairment. Srikanth has done it all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvYRbTerSvI

"I had a clear vision since I was a young kid. When the world looks at me and says, ‘Srikanth, you can do nothing,’ I look back at the world and say I can do anything.”," shared the entrepreneur. "Initially, when I was in my village, I didn't have any friends. No one wanted to play with me since I was visually impaired. But, that loneliness made me concentrate on my studies." When Srikanth was seven years old, he enrolled in a school for the visually impaired in Hyderabad. There, he began to flourish academically, receiving the education he rightfully deserved.

Starting with Braille, Srikanth gradually mastered English and computer skills. His journey of learning was remarkable, marked by victories in debating, creative writing, chess, and blind cricket, earning him recognition as the school's top student. Srikanth excelled academically, achieving 90 percent marks with distinction in his matriculation from Devnar School in Hyderabad.

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Challenging the world

He was the happiest that day, but little did he know that the real battle was only just beginning. Despite his academic achievements, Srikanth faced a daunting challenge: his school's policy restricted blind students from studying science and mathematics due to concerns about handling diagrams and graphs. Encouraged to pursue arts, languages, literature, and social sciences instead, Srikanth refused to accept this limitation. With determination, he sought justice through the legal system, supported by a teacher. Ultimately, he emerged victorious as the court ruled in favor of blind students' rights to study science and maths in senior years across all state board schools in Andhra Pradesh.

Entrepreneur | Srikanth Bolla | Global Indian

It was during this time that he got an opportunity to work for Lead India Project, a movement to empower the youth through value-based education, with former President Late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The entrepreneur believed, "No one should let their disability interfere with their dreams. One doesn't need eyes to have visions of their career." Undeterred by the obstacles, Srikanth continued to excel academically, achieving a remarkable 98 percent in his XII board exams, leading his class with distinction.

However, despite having the percentage and required qualifications, the entrepreneur was denied admission to the Indian Institute of Technology, where he wanted to study engineering, because of his blindness. "If IIT did not want me, I did not want IIT either," the entrepreneur shared during an interview, adding, "I knew the world had put many obstacles in my path, I just needed to learn to cross them without falling."

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And so, he started applying to various foreign Universities or an undergraduate programme. Interestingly, he was able to secure admission to four of the top schools, MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon in the United States, and in 2009 he eventually chose to get admitted to MIT, which proudly recognised him as their first-ever international blind student.

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A visionary

Upon completing his education, Srikanth returned to Hyderabad and founded Bollant Industries in 2012. The company specializes in manufacturing areca-based products while also prioritizing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Bollant addresses a range of concerns including employment, economics, and environmental sustainability. "I left behind a good future in the USA as I wanted to make products using renewable energy, made by the people considered useless, like me. I want to be a leader working to build a future with equal opportunities for everyone, which means providing work for the abled people also, as Bollant is not a commercial enterprise or a charity home, but a social enterprise working for everyone."

The company produces eco-friendly recycled Kraft paper from municipal waste, crafts packaging items from recycled paper, creates disposable products from natural leaves and recycled paper, and transforms waste plastic into usable goods. The company's impactful endeavours attracted the attention of investors, eventually securing funding from renowned businessman Ratan Tata.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMeuJP5iBWY

"I feel god can give us only starting circumstances, but we make our own destiny. The future is in our hands, we can craft it however we wish. if you want your kids to be in a future where there is equality, you can also craft that future. I have been bothered with the question about what kind of future I want for myself for a long time. I had two choices, I could join a well-established firm, or create my own company - and I chose the latter," said the entrepreneur, adding, "No power in the world can stop an ambitious person from finding success. Disability is when you have sight, but do not have vision."

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