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Leading women empowerment activist, Ruma Devi, spoke to ANI on Wednesday about how traditional festivals like Teej help empower women by providing them means of earning, foster a spirit of camaraderie and positively boosts mental health of women.
Speaking on the sidelines of Teej Utsav 2025 celebrations, which commenced at the Bikaner House on July 23, Ruma Devi hailed the celebrations and said that it would help motivate the youth to stay connected to their culture and traditions. By bringing to the forefront small-scale industries like bangle-making, 'Poshak' dresses, and henna, the festival brings forth opportunities for empowerment too. She told ANI how Teej serves as a bridge to empower women on several fronts, like giving a boost to the small-scale industries, encouraging traditional dance forms like Ghoomar and bringing women together on a common platform, which gives them a safe space to share their hearts, thereby boosting their mental wellbeing. Ruma Devi, who is from Barmer in Rajasthan, is the Director of the Ruma Devi Foundation, who has been tirelessly working towards livelihood generation, promotion of arts and crafts, and also leaving a mark on areas like health, education and infrastructure. Speaking about her initiatives, Ruma Devi told ANI that she has spearheaded a novel cultural event called 'Harjas Utsav', which is celebrated in March. The event involves singing hymns and praises, and also serves as a medium to provide employment for women, foster a sense of community, and bring indigenous elements from Rajasthan into the limelight by holding programs under the shade of Khejri trees. To date, her foundation has provided scholarships worth over INR 1 crore as she spearheads efforts for empowering women, several initiatives in sync at once. In 2018, she received the coveted Nari Shakti Award by the then President Ramnath Kovind for her endeavours. Ruma Devi's presence at Bikaner House inspired women who had put up several stalls and hailed from several places of Rajasthan like Bara, Alwar, Jaipur and Udaipur. The Bikaner House is holding a week-long celebration- Teej Utsav 2025. Additional Resident Commissioner Anju Omprakash said that various programs will take place every day in this festival, which will run from 11 am to 9 pm. The festival, which began on July 23, will continue until July 30, offering a unique opportunity for Delhiites and non-resident Rajasthanis to experience the state's vibrant cultural traditions. (ANI)
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