Tag: Prity

Muniya with her doll Trijntje and behind her Moni with Fenna

Upcycled dolls from Holland come to Lula Bari

Girls at Lula Bari and their repurposed dolls

Completely upcycled dolls renamed and reclothed in vintage and brought from Holland to Kolkata by Willeke who started Stichting Help2Help.

Ellie in Holland had the idea to collect old dolls and make new clothes and give new names for each of them. She did this for our friend Willeke and her group Stichting Help2Help to raise money towards the running of our girls home which is called Lula Bari.

There are more dolls available - contact Maura at mseeds.maura@gmail.com if you would like to donate and receive your Lula Bari doll!

Tamina with Sara

shuktara - Tamina and her doll Sara

Lali with Daphne

shuktara - Lali and her doll Daphne

Moni with Fenna

shuktara - Moni with her doll Fenna

Guria with Norah

shuktara - Guria and her doll Norah

Muniya with Trijntje & Moni

shuktara - Muniya with her doll Trijntje and behind her Moni with Fenna

upcycled dolls from Holland

shuktara - upcycled dolls from Holland

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari - Guria and Prity

Visiting Lula Bari on Kali Puja

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari - Guria and Prity

Guria and Prity

Kali Puja is the holiday after Durga Puja, celebrated right before Diwali, the festival of lights. The exterior of Bengali houses are lit up with dozens, sometimes hundreds of little candles and fireworks start going off as soon as the sun goes down.

A visit to the girls' home, Lula Bari, was a wonderful way to celebrate the festival of Kali, the goddess of Kolkata. A few visitors from abroad were invited to meet the girls and young women of shuktara, sharing sweets and laughter.

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Muniya

Muniya

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Louise and Muniya

Tamina

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Moni

Moni

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Alison and Muniya

Muniya

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Guria, Pappu and Lali

Guria & Lali

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Guria, Pappu and Lali

Guria & Lali

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Guria

Guria

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Guria

Guria

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Louise, Muniya and Christi

Muniya

2015 Kali Puja - shuktara Lula Bari  - Lali

Lali
shuktara - Prity on Holi

Holi at Lula Bari – the festival of colours

Holi was celebrated much more vigorously in Lula Bari, our girls home, than it was by the boys here in Kolkata.

Maybe as they grow older, the boys are not quite so interested, but the girls had a great day.

shuktara - Prity
Prity
shuktara - Lali, Sabita and Pappu Mishra
Lali with Sabita mashi, one of our girls house staff and Pappu Mishra (chairman of shuktara)
shuktara - Lali
Lali and Sabita mashi
shuktara - Tamina
Tamina

Saraswati Puja at shuktara 2015

Saraswati is the goddess of wisdom and learning. Every year the celebration at shuktara is anticipated by everyone with great excitement. An elaborate statue of the goddess is chosen and taken to the house. On the roof a home for the goddess is constructed the night before with fresh flowers – this year there were pink egg cartons also to add to the festive atmosphere. On the day of Saraswati Puja everyone puts on their best clothes and participate in the ritual of the goddess by chanting Sanskrit and throwing handfuls of fresh flower petals to accentuate the prayers.

shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Bablu and Moni
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Lali
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Muniya – first time in a sari
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Prity and Tamina
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Sanjay, Raja Singh and Raja Mohan Das
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Sunil and the goddess
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Tamina, Muniya and Lali