TOI says #NoConditionsApply in its campaign this durga Pujo.

There has been a lot of talk on why the world needs diversity. Diversity will come through inclusion. And, true diversity and inclusion needs to be reflected not only in opportunity; but also in celebration and festivities. #NoConditionsApply is an initiative by TOI and was launched early in 2017, and aims to generate awareness and conversations calling for gender equity across all opportunities, celebrations, ambitions. In a hard-hitting video launched by TOI, a powerful message can be observed wherein, four leading women from Kolkata – Rituparna Sengupta, Gargi Roy Chowdhury, Manobi Bandopadhyay and Sohini Sengupta join the slam poetry that presents the point-of-view of the women who have been the on-lookers and un-invited to the festivities.The campaign has been conceptualized with FCB Ulka demonstrating the issue of inclusion in celebrations. 

Contextualizing to Durga Pujo, which is a mega celebration of homecoming of Shakti (Goddess Durga) to her maternal home with her sons and daughters, #NoConditionsApply campaign calls for an all-inclusive community celebration of Shindoor Khela. Celebrated as a community gathering on the last day of Durga Pujo (Dashami), Shindoor Khela is a tradition that has been celebrated by married women for hundreds of years. On Dashami (10^th day of Durga Pujo), married women come together in praise of Goddess Durga and play with Shindoor (vermilion) by smearing it on each other’s face and body. Traditionally children and unmarried girls are a part of this social celebration, however the rest of our sisterhood looks on, uninvited, unwanted.

This Shindoor Khela, #NoConditionsApply urges the women to play with two dots of Shindoor, a symbol that will unite. One first dot of Shindoor for one-self and the second dot of Shindoor for a sister. Let’s not apply *conditions* on celebrations. Let’s include every daughter in this social celebration. Let’s all sisters play together. A new inclusive celebration where all women including married, single, divorcees, widows, transgenders, prostitutes, lesbians, will celebrate equality and unity. 

This pujo, join in the celebration with two dots of Shindoor. Share your two dot Shindoor selfie with us using #NoConditionsApply and wish a sister to include her as a part of the celebrations. Tweet/post/share on social media with #NoConditionsApply and talk to us.

You can watch the video here: