In a significant step towards inclusivity, UNESCO and IIT-Kharagpur have collaborated to roll out accessibility norms for Durga Puja, aiming to make the festival accessible to all, including the specially-abled. This initiative follows UNESCO's inscription of Durga Puja on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021. The accessibility guidelines, formulated by IIT-Kharagpur, will be piloted by 24 select puja organizers this year.
The initiative addresses the fact that, despite its global appeal and significant economic contribution (estimated at $10.2 billion in 2024), Durga Puja's benefits have not been equally accessible to elderly persons, people with disabilities, women, and children. The accessibility program seeks to bridge this gap.
The guidelines include practical steps such as building infrastructure, training volunteers, and ensuring emergency preparedness. IIT-Kharagpur's draft plan includes specific guidelines for pickup and drop zones, routes to pandals, ramps, food zones, resting areas, and parking, with proper signage. The guidelines will be customized to suit the unique structure of each puja pandal, combining text and sketches to ensure seamless navigation for visitors. Puja committees are advised to integrate accessibility early in the design stage, ensuring accessible routes, entrances, toilets, resting areas, and refuge spaces. They are also cautioned against blocking ramps, neglecting accessible toilets, or relying solely on audio announcements.
UNESCO reached out to IIT-Kharagpur to frame the guidelines and the state government to seek help for its implementing partner MassArt, after receiving an appeal from MassArt. The launch of the accessibility norms took place at the inauguration of the fourth edition of the Puja art preview show organized by MassArt, with whom UNESCO has partnered since its inception.
According to Haimanti Banerji, professor in the Department of Architecture & Regional Planning at IIT-KGP, the draft plan was created after consulting domain experts and visiting puja pandals. The safety SOP will include emergency evacuation plans and procedures for assisting lost individuals, using visual cues and textual information to guide visitors.
Tim Curtis, UNESCO South Asia Regional Office Director, emphasized that accessibility is not charity but justice, advocating for access for all to make Durga Puja truly "sarbojanin" (universal). He referred to the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disability, which ensures the right to participate in cultural life on an equal footing with others. Junhi Han, chief of culture sector, UNESCO South Asia Regional Office-New Delhi, highlighted the goal of celebrating Durga Puja as a festival for all, making it more accessible to elderly people, specially-abled individuals, women, and children.
The West Bengal government has pledged its support for the initiative, assisting in rolling out the accessibility guidelines and supporting the festival in multiple ways. The accessibility program will be implemented across Bengal, with the pilot program debuting at the 24 pujas participating in the preview show.
These new SOPs for universal accessibility in pandals, jointly released by the United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office (UNRCO) and UNESCO, reflect a commitment to ensuring inclusive participation in Durga Puja for people with disabilities, senior citizens, pregnant women, and children. With nearly 12% of Kolkata's population above 60 years of age according to the 2011 census, the initiative addresses a critical need for accessibility.
