For the first time in Kolkata, Shri Durgadevi will be worshipped by women priests in a public Durga Puja celebration

Editorial Comment

Although worship by women is relevant according to the Scriptures, there are some limitations for women to chant the Vedic mantras. The women’s reproductive organs being inside the body could have an impact due to the power generated by chanting the mantras. That is why it is said so in the Scriptures; but in the name of women’s liberation and due to gross ignorance about the Scriptures, cases like the appointment of women priests are happening.

Kolkata (Bengal) – This year, for the first time in history, in Bengal, the worship of Shri Durgadevi in ​​a public place will be performed by 4 women priests. The ‘South Kolkata Club’ has taken this decision.


In this regard, Pradyumna Mukherjee of the Puja Committee said that from Khunti Puja (the initial puja of pavilion worship) to Vijayadashmi, no woman priest has ever performed the puja earlier; but in their club, a team of 4 women priests will start a new tradition by conducting all the pujas. They have their style of worship. (Have these women taken the guidance of the Shankaracharya of Puri Peeth associated with Bengal, regarding their independent style of worship ? Realise that the worship based on the Scriptures benefits the ‘yajman’ (one who pays for performing the puja) and the ‘purohit’ (priest) at a spiritual level – Editor) Dr Nandini Bhowmik, Ruma Roy, Seymanti Banerjee and Paulomi Chakraborty are the four women who are going to perform this puja. They have been working in the city for the past decade as priests for important functions like marriages, ‘gruha pravesh’ (house warming); but for the first time as a priest, they will worship Idols. They expect that people will accept this change.

Dr Nandini Bhowmik said that nowadays people are more involved in other things than they are involved in the rituals of worship. It is our main objective to see that such people participate in the worship with devotion.