Today is ‘Bhai Phonta’ (Bhaiya Duj) and in West Bengal, it is celebrated by sisters who mark their brothers’ forehead with ‘phonta'(a sandalwood paste tilak) and wish for their long lives. However, it’s a different kind of festivity for the sex workers of Medinipur who have decided to give phonta to the people of their locality and wish for their well-being.
Today was also a very happy and auspicious day for the sex workers — who stay away from their families and in some cases, their families don’t want to stay in touch or celebrate occasions with them — as they gave phonta to the local cops. One sex worker told News18, “We have lost our parents when we came here and we have lost our family too. Today, when local SDO sir and police took phonta from us, we felt happy.”
Another sex worker said, “When it was informed to us that the police and SDO sir will come to take phonta from us, we were excited and made arrangements so that everything takes place as per ritual.”
The local SDO Suman Biswas said, “I am very happy to take phonta from them and I feel good.” The Ghatal Police personnel too were happy to get sex workers as their sisters.
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