Part 3: The Sacred Soil

One of the fascinating traditions during Durga Puja is 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐥. This practice, rich in meaning, adds a unique touch to the festival.

As the festival approaches, a priest visits a brothel to ask for a small amount of soil. This soil, known as "𝐏𝐮𝐧𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐚𝐭𝐢” or holy soil, is believed to carry a special purity. The idea is that when men enter these spaces, they leave behind their virtue, making the ground they walk on sacred.

This tradition also highlights important social issues. It serves as a reminder of how society views women, especially those who are marginalized. By including this soil in the making of Durga idols, 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐬'𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

As Durga Puja continues to evolve, this practice encourages conversations about 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲. It reminds us that 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Ultimately, this small handful of soil carries a powerful message: 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐚, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.