Kolkata Sex Workers Open Annual Durga Puja Despite Local Opposition

Kolkata's Sonagachi red light district, the largest in India, inaugurated its fourteenth Durga Puja on Wednesday, October 14. Organised by the sex workers group Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, the celebration took place amid ongoing resistance from local residents and neighborhood clubs.

Details

Bishakha Laskar, the secretary of the DMSC, stated that getting space for the event required going to the High Court. She noted that opposition continued on the day of the inauguration as locals raised objections about the stage size and attempted to create a scuffle. According to Laskar, neither locals nor nearby clubs cooperated with the organization, and sex workers often faced judgment when visiting other celebrations.

Statements

Ismail, the son of a sex worker, explained that the event provides a safe space while the community hopes to eventually join the mainstream and participate in any puja without needing a separate one. An event guest stated that society cannot progress without treating sex workers as equal citizens. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh attended the inauguration and pledged his support. Ghosh criticized the double standard where men who pay for sex and traffickers avoid questioning while women bear society's judgment.

Context

While traditional Durga idol makers in Kolkata traditionally collect clay from the courtyards of sex workers for idols made in the nearby Kumartuli potters' colony, the women themselves have historically felt unwelcome at public celebrations. Despite ongoing social stigma, the event has seen growing participation in recent years from public representatives, ministers, social activists, and college students.