Siliguri, 15th October: In an initiative to spread the joy of the festive season among all, the state Tourism Department and voluntary organisation Uttaran, in collaboration with the North Bengal Handicapped Rehabilitation Society, organised a special Durga Puja tour for children with special needs in Siliguri on Maha Panchami morning.
Around 290 children and their parents are participating in the tour, which will take them to 14 Durga Puja pandals across Siliguri.
The specially decorated buses carrying the participants departed from Baghajatin Park on Thursday morning. Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh and representatives of Uttaran flagged off the buses to mark the beginning of the initiative.
The Tourism Minister said arrangements had also been made for meals throughout the day and other activities to ensure the children could enjoy the celebrations while visiting the pandals.
Minister Shankar Ghosh said Durga Puja should not be limited to personal enjoyment or celebrations organised by individual clubs. He emphasised that the true spirit of the festival lies in sharing its happiness with children with special needs and elderly people, ensuring that the festive joy reaches everyone.
The children participating in the tour were visibly excited. They expressed happiness at getting the opportunity to visit different Puja pandals across the city and share the festive experience with their friends.
