New Delhi: For 19-year-old Akansha, this Durga Puja was more than a visit to a pandal. Visually impaired, she was able to touch a replica of Goddess Durga, experience the rituals more closely and listen to the story of the deity through an audio feature. The experience, she said, made her feel a sense of calm and purity.“I felt Durga Maa. It was a really great experience,” Akansha told TOI, describing her first such experience at a Puja pandal. Her experience was part of an initiative to make Durga Puja celebrations more accessible and inclusive for persons with disabilities (PwDs) and persons with reduced mobility (PRMs) across Delhi-NCR.Led by an NGO, Svayam, in partnership with UNESCO Sarbojanin Durga Puja Society on Pandara Road, Timarpur and Civil Lines Puja Samity, and Durgotsab GK 2, the initiative aims to ensure that people with different accessibility needs can participate in the festivities with greater independence and comfort.The initiative, which began in 2025, now includes levelled pathways from entrances or drop-off points to the idols, ramps wherever there are changes in ground level, Braille signage, calm rooms, designated quiet hours and tactile replicas of idols for visually impaired visitors, said Dr Gautam, president, Pandara Road Durga Puja CommitteeThe idea behind the ramps is to ensure that visitors using wheelchairs or other mobility aids can enter and move around the pandals more easily. The facilities are also for people whose mobility is temporarily restricted, such as those with injuries, pregnant women and elderly visitors.“Accessibility is not only for persons with disabilities. It is also for people with reduced mobility, including those who may be facing temporary physical difficulties. The gradient of the ramp is important because a steep or slippery ramp can make it difficult for a wheelchair user to move safely,” Himika Chaudhuri, a member of the core committee, said.Seating arrangements and dedicated calm rooms have also been provided to make the experience more comfortable for visitors who need to rest or take a break from the sensory stimulation of the celebrations. For children and others who may find loud sounds, bright lights and large crowds overwhelming, these rooms offer a quieter space away from the pandal.Organisers have also introduced a tactile replica of Goddess Durga, accompanied by a QR code that visitors can scan to access an audio-visual narration of the deity’s story. The feature allows visually impaired visitors to engage with the religious and cultural significance of the celebration through touch and sound.Chaudhuri said the arrangements were intended to make the Puja experience more meaningful for visitors who may otherwise face barriers while navigating crowded pandals.The initiative extends beyond physical infrastructure. Participating pandals have incorporated inclusive cultural programmes featuring visually impaired schoolchildren, acid attack survivors and an autistic band. Svayam is also conducting sensitisation sessions for volunteers to help them understand and respond to the needs of visitors with disabilities and reduced mobility.The broader aim this year is to encourage accessible festivals beyond Delhi-NCR, making inclusion an integral part of large cultural celebrations rather than an additional facility introduced for a select group of visitors.For Akansha and others, however, the impact was personal. Being able to connect with the idol through touch and experience the rituals in a more accessible setting offered a sense of participation that went beyond simply visiting a pandal.
