While Durga Puja committees often invite dignitaries, including ministers, eminent artists, and sports personalities, to inaugurate the festivities, this year, the Kodalia Netaji Sangha Sarbojonin Durgotsav in South 24 Parganas district ventured off the beaten path. On Saturday, its Durga Puja pandal was inaugurated by West Bengal’s only woman Dom – a person who helps to burn dead bodies at a crematorium.

When she was invited to the event, Tumpa Das, 30, could not believe it at first. “I thought they were just asking me to be present in the pandal. Then the committee made it clear, I will inaugurate the Durga Puja pandal,” she said.

Arkadev Chatterjee, one of the organisers of the puja, said, “We first decided that our puja will be inaugurated by those who are making our pandals and themes. But later we decided to approach Tumpa Das, who is also our district’s pride.”

Located around 10 km from the outskirts of Kolkata and just 100 metres from the ancestral homes of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and music composer Salil Chowdhury, the Kodalia Netaji Sangha Sarbojonin Durgotsav Committee decided that this year their puja pandal will be inaugurated by someone who is not a prominent figure in society but someone whose fight can’t be ignored.

Chatterjee added, “Durga is basically a symbol of power who defeats all the wrongs in society. Tumpa Das is also doing that work with courage. We generally avoid going to the morgue or crematorium, but Tumpa does it every day, and it is not possible to do so without great courage. So we want to praise her work through this small recognition.”

Tumpa’s father, Bapi Das, was also a Dom at the Purandarpur crematorium in the Baruipur area. He died abruptly in October 2014. “I was only 20 years old then, and the eldest of his children. My mother had just had a surgery. So, I had to take up my family’s responsibility,” she said.

“I decided to continue my father’s work. Panchayat leaders also helped me. From 2015, I began working as a Dom at the Purandarpur crematorium. Till 2018, I worked on normal chully (furnace). In 2019, the samshan ghat installed an electric chully.”

It has not been without challenges for Tumpa. “I am a Dom and also a woman. People used to refuse to sit beside us as we are untouchables. Many people humiliated me as I am a woman, but gradually I was able to overcome all such problems.”

She has already received recognition as the only woman dom in the state, but Tumpa said, “This is the biggest recognition for me. I was felicitated by many, given prizes, and many such things, but I never imagined that a puja committee would call me to inaugurate the Durga Puja pandal. My family and I are grateful to them.”

Chatterjee said, “Our area is home to personalities like Salil Chowdhury and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. They always tried to change society and bring equality. We are just trying that.”