Newz Desk, Durgapur: Taking the spirit of Durga Puja beyond traditional pandals, Birla Tyres organised a special community initiative, ‘Maa Asche’, on October 17 and 18, bringing Maa Durga to elderly citizens, patients and people in care facilities who were unable to visit pandals during the festive season.
Inspired by the thought, “If people cannot go to Maa, Maa can come to them,” the two-day initiative transformed a specially fabricated vehicle carrying an idol of Maa Durga into a travelling Durga Puja pandal. The initiative provided people with an opportunity to seek the goddess’s blessings, offer prayers and participate in pushpanjali.
Flagged off from Thakurpukur, the mobile pandal travelled across Howrah and Hooghly, covering hospitals, old age homes and other locations to bring the festive experience closer to people who might otherwise have missed the celebrations. On October 17, the travelling pandal visited Indian Oil at Dhulagarh, Sanjiban Hospital at Fuleswar and Santosh Promoda Old Age Home & Hospital in Bagnan. The journey continued on October 18, with visits to Hindustan Petroleum at Dankuni, Simla Old Age Home and ESI Hospital at Serampore.
The initiative sought to make Durga Puja more inclusive by enabling elderly residents and patients to participate in the celebrations despite physical limitations or healthcare-related constraints.
Speaking about the initiative, Somesh Satnalika, Business Head of Birla Tyres, said Durga Puja symbolised faith, togetherness and joy. Through ‘Maa Asche’, the company wanted to bring the festive spirit closer to people who could not visit the pandals, reflecting its commitment to staying connected with the communities it serves.
Through the initiative, Birla Tyres combined mobility, cultural traditions and social responsibility to extend the reach of one of Bengal’s biggest festivals beyond conventional celebrations. By bringing Maa Durga to hospitals and care facilities, the programme highlighted the values of compassion, inclusion and togetherness associated with Durga Puja.
