MaryellenBuckman at 16:21, 3 March 2026

2026-03-03T16:21:52Z

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{{Short description|Largest religion in West Bengal}}

{{for-multi|Hinduism in East Bengal|Hinduism in Bangladesh|ethnic and main group|Bengali Hindus}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2023}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Hindus in West Bengal
| flag = [[File:Bengali Swastika Symbol half.svg|60px]]
| image = Dakshineswar.jpg
| image_caption = [[Dakshineswar Kali Temple]] in [[Kolkata]]
| pop = {{Circa}} '''64.4 million''' (2011 Census) {{Increase}} <br /> (70.5% of West Bengal's population) {{Decrease}}<br />{{Circa}} '''55 million''' [[Bengali Hindus]]<ref name="langcensus2011">{{cite web |title=Table C-16 – Population by Mother Tongue |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16.html |website=www.censusindia.gov.in |publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=18 September 2021 |archive-date=15 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815035759/https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
| regions = Majority in all [[List of districts of West Bengal|districts]] except [[Murshidabad district|Murshidabad]], [[Uttar Dinajpur district|Uttar Dinajpur]] and [[Maldah district|Malda]].
| langs = '''Majority''': [[Bengali language|Bengali]]<br/>'''Minority''': [[Nepali language|Nepali]] and [[Hindi]]
| religions = [[Hinduism]] and others
| related_groups =
}}
{{Hinduism}}
'''[[Hinduism]]''' is the largest [[religious tradition]] in the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]] with approximately 70.54% of the population identifying themselves as [[Hindus]] (as of 2011).<ref>{{Cite web|first=India|last=Census |date= August 24, 2022|url=https://www.indiacensus.net/states/west-bengal&lang=en|title= West Bengal Population|website=IndiaCensus.net}}</ref> The Hindus in West Bengal mostly belong to the [[Shaktism|Shakta]] (the [[Shaktism#Kalikula: family of Kali|Kalikula tradition]]), minority to [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavite]] and a small community belong to [[Shaivism|Shaivite]] and other [[Hindu denominations|denominations]].<ref name="McDermott2005p826">{{cite encyclopedia |year=2005 |surname=McDermott |given=Rachel Fell |title=Bengali religions |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Religion: 15 Volume Set |editor-first=Lindsay |editor-last=Jones |edition=2nd |place=Detroit, Mi |publisher=MacMillan Reference USA |volume=2 |pages=824–832 |isbn=0-02-865735-7}} p. 826.</ref> The vast majority of Hindus in West Bengal are [[Bengali Hindus]] numbering around 55 million and comprising 60.2% of the state population of 91.35 million (2011)<ref>{{Cite web|first=Trevor|last=Zbonkak |date=December 14, 2021|url=https://theflatbkny.com/india/how-many-bengalis-are-there-in-west-bengal/|access-date=2022-07-20|title=How many Bengalis are there in West Bengal?
|website=The Flat - Travel Q&A and Tips 2022}}</ref><ref name="Datta"/> but a notable section of non-[[Bengali Hindus]] also exist, particularly among [[Marwaris]], [[Biharis]], [[Odias]], [[Gurkha]]s, [[Sindhis]], [[Gujaratis]] and various tribal communities such as [[Koch Rajbongshi|Koch]], [[Santals]], [[Munda people|Munda]], [[Mech people]] and particularly [[Adivasi|Adivadis]] numbering around 9.4 million comprising rest 10.3% of the state population.<ref name=Datta>{{Cite web|first=Romita|last=Datta |date=November 13, 2020|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/20201123-the-great-hindu-vote-trick-1740691-2020-11-13|access-date=2021-05-11|title=The great Hindu vote trick |website=India Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiaonlinepages.com/population/west-bengal-population.html|title=Population of West Bengal-West Bengal Population 2021|access-date=2021-07-10|website=India Guide- Festivals, Culture, City Guide, Weddings, Population, Indianonlinepages.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/opinion-divided-on-most-non-bengali-voters-favouring-bjp-in-west-bengal|title=Opinion divided on most non-Bengali voters favouring BJP in West Bengal|access-date=2021-07-12}}</ref>

Hinduism had existed in the region of [[Bengal]] before the 16th century BC and by the 3rd century, [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]] were popular too.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sen |first1=Sukumar |title= Banga-Bhumika|trans-title=An Introduction to the History of Bengal |edition=1st |year=1999 |publisher= [[Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi]]|location=Kolkata |language=Bengali |isbn= 81-86908-97-8 |trans-chapter=The Religion |chapter=Dharme |pages= 104–05}}</ref> [[Gaur, West Bengal|Gaur]], the first sovereign Hindu kingdom in Bengal with its capital in [[Karnasubarna]] in modern-day [[Murshidabad district]], was set up by [[Shashanka]], a [[Shaivaite]] king who ruled approximately between 600 AD and 625 AD. The modern structure of Bengali Hindu society was developed during the rule of the [[Sena dynasty]] in the 12th century AD. West Bengal has been home to several famous religious teachers, including [[Sri Chaitanya]], [[Sri Ramakrishna]], [[Rammohan Roy]] and [[Swami Vivekananda]].

==Culture==
The language of the Hindus in West Bengal is [[Bengali language|Bengali]]. A large number of Hindu religious texts like biographies of [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]], Mangal-kavyas, Bratakathas and [[Panchala|Panchalis]] as well as dharmik writings of modern Bengali philosophers and saints have been produced in Bengali for many centuries.

===Religion===
Majority of Bengali Hindus follow [[Shaktism]] (the [[Shaktism#Kalikula: family of Kali|Kalikula tradition]]), minority—[[Vaishnavism]] ([[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]], [[Vaishnava-Sahajiya]], [[Baul]]s). Shaktas belong to the upper [[caste]]s as well as lowest castes and tribes, while the lower middle castes are Vaishnavas.<ref name="McDermott2005p826" />

The main [[devi]]s of the Kalikula tradition are ''[[Kali]]'', ''[[Chandi]] which is another form of Durga'', ''[[Durga]]'', as well as regional goddesses such as ''[[Manasa]](also known as Bishhori)'', the snake goddesses, ''[[Shashthi]]'', the protectress of children, ''[[Shitala]]'', the smallpox goddess, and ''[[Umā]]'' (the Bengali name for [[Parvati]]).<ref name="McDermott2005p826" />

[[Jagadhatri]], [[Lakshmi]] and [[Saraswati]], [[Shiva]], [[Ganesha]], [[Vishwakarma]], [[Krishna]], [[Rama]], [[Jagannath]] and [[Vishnu]] are the other popular and widely worshipped [[Hindu deities]] in West Bengal.

[[Durga Puja]] is the biggest and most important festival of the Hindus in West Bengal, as well as the most significant festival of the state in general. [[Kali Puja]] is the second major festival of the community and it corresponds to the pan-Indian festival of Diwali. Other major festivals include [[Kojagari Lakshmi Puja]], [[Dolyatra]], [[Jagaddhatri|Jagaddhatri Puja]], [[Rathayatra]], [[Saraswati Puja]], [[Poila Baishakh]], [[Vishwakarma Puja]], [[Gajan (festival)|Gajan]], [[Makar Sankranti|Poush Parban]] etc.

===Festivals===
[[File:Bakul Bagan Sarbojanin Arnab Dutta 2011.jpg|thumb|[[Durga Puja]], the biggest festival]]
[[Bengali Hindus]] in [[West Bengal]] observe a number of festivals, hence the Bengali proverb ''Baro Mase Tero Parbon'' ({{langx|bn|বারো মাসে তেরো পার্বণ|lit=twelve months thirteen festivities}}). Birth Anniversary of [[Rabindranath Tagore]] which is celebrated as one of the major festivals of the state, [[Rathyatra]] and [[Janmashtami]] before the commencement of the autumnal festival season which starts with [[Vishwakarma Puja]] on the last day of Bengali month of [[Bhadra (Hindu calendar)|Bhadra]] which is around the middle of September in the English calendar. The annual five-day [[Durga Puja]] is the biggest and most widely celebrated Hindu festival in West Bengal. Durga Puja is followed by [[Kojagari Lakshmi Puja]], [[Kali Puja]], [[Bhai phonta|Bhai Phonta]], [[Jagaddhatri|Jagaddhatri Puja]] and [[Kartikeya|Kartik Puja]]. On 1 January [[Kalpataru Day]] is observed as an auspicious day associated with Ramakrishna Paramhansa. The winter solstice is celebrated a [[Makar Sankranti|Paush Sankranti]] in mid January, followed by ''Netaji Jayanti'' or the birth anniversary of [[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose]] and [[Saraswati Puja]]. The spring festival of Holi is celebrated in the form of [[Holi|Dolyatra]]. The year ends with [[Charak Puja]] and [[Gajan (festival)|Gajan]].

===Temples===
{{Main|List of Hindu temples in West Bengal}}

<gallery widths="200">
File:Kalighat temple.jpg|Kalighat Temple.
File:Yogapith, Mayapur.jpg|The temple at [[Caitanya Mahaprabhu]]'s birthplace in Mayapur, Nadia established by [[Bhaktivinoda Thakur]] in the 1880s.
File:Hangseshwari temple.jpg|Hangseshwari and Vasudev temple at Hooghly district.
File:Ramakrishna Belur Math, Howrah.jpg|Sri Ramakrishna Temple, Belur Math.
File:Rasmancha Arnab Dutta 2011.JPG|Rashmancha Temple, Bishnupur
</gallery>Temple architecture in West Bengal architecture has assumed a unique identity and evolved into the [[Bengali architecture#West Bengal terra cotta temple architecture|Bengali terra cotta temple architecture]] which is also a very common style of Hindu temples in Bangladesh. Due to lack of suitable stone in the alluvial [[Gangetic]] delta, the temple makers had to resort to other materials instead of stone. This gave rise to using [[terra cotta]] as a medium for temple construction. Terra-cotta exteriors with rich carvings are a unique feature of Bengali temples. The town of [[Bishnupur, Bankura|Vishnupur]] in West Bengal is renowned for this type of architecture. Usually a part of the intended total motif was carved by hand on one side of a brick and then baked. While under construction, these carved bricks were arranged to make up the entire motif.

The Bengali style of temple is not luxurious. Rather, most are modeled on simple thatched-roof earthen huts used as dwellings by commoners. This can be attributed to the popularity of [[bhakti]] sects which taught people to view gods as close to themselves. Thus, various styles like ''[[do-chala]]'', ''[[Jor-bangla Style]]'', ''[[char-chala]]'', and ''[[aat-chala]]'' sprang up. However, there is also a popular style of building known as [[Navaratna]] (nine-towered) or Pancharatna (five-towered) in Bengal which is more luxurious than the Chala buildings. A typical example of Navaratna style is the [[Dakshineswar Kali Temple]]. The Shiva temples of rural Bengal has significantly impacted on the architectural style of [[Kalighat Temple]], one of the oldest Hindu temples of India. The famous [[Birla Mandir, Kolkata|Birla Temple]] of Kolkata, built in 1996, has a unique blend of temple architecture of Odisha with Rajasthani temple arts. The [[Mahakal Temple (Darjeeling)|Mahakal Temple]] in Darjeeling is a unique and important Hindu temple since 1782.

==Demography==
Hindus constituted 78.45% of West Bengal's population way back in 1951. As per the 2011 census, 70.54% of the state's population is Hindu. There is sharp decline of 7.91% Hindu population in 6 decades.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/decline-of-hindu-population-in-west-bengal-worries-rss/articleshow/57831904.cms | title=Decline of Hindu population in West Bengal worries RSS | newspaper=The Times of India | date=26 March 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://scroll.in/article/990780/bengal-election-how-bjp-and-tmc-are-using-old-census-data-to-fuel-identity-based-politics | title=Bengal election: How BJP and TMC are using old census data to fuel identity-based politics | date=29 March 2021 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Hindus in West Bengal by district (2011)<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW19C-01%20MDDS.XLS Population by religious community: West Bengal]. 2011 Census of India.</ref>
! # || District || Total population || Hindu population || %
|-
| 1 || [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]] || 10,009,781 || 7,352,769 || {{percentage bar|73.46|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 2 || [[Barddhaman district|Barddhaman]] || 7,717,563 || 6,008,472 || {{percentage bar|77.85|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 3 || [[South 24 Parganas district|South 24 Parganas]] || 8,161,961 || 5,155,545 || {{percentage bar|63.17|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 4 || [[Paschim Medinipur district|Paschim Medinipur]] || 5,913,457 || 5,056,953 || {{percentage bar|85.52|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 5 || [[Hooghly district|Hooghly]] || 5,519,145 || 4,574,569 || {{percentage bar|82.89|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 6 || [[Purba Medinipur district|Purba Medinipur]] || 5,095,875 || 4,343,972 || {{percentage bar|85.24|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 7 || [[Nadia district|Nadia]] || 5,167,600 || 3,728,482 || {{percentage bar|72.15|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 8 || [[Howrah district|Howrah]] || 4,850,029 || 3,535,844 || {{percentage bar|72.90|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 9 || [[Kolkata district|Kolkata]] || 4,496,694 || 3,440,290 || {{percentage bar|76.51|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 10 || [[Jalpaiguri district|Jalpaiguri]] || 3,872,846 || 3,156,781 || {{percentage bar|81.51|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 11 || [[Bankura district|Bankura]] || 3,596,674 || 3,033,581 || {{percentage bar|84.34|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 12 || [[Purulia district|Purulia]] || 2,930,115 || 2,373,120 || {{percentage bar|80.99|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 13 || [[Murshidabad district|Murshidabad]] || 7,103,807 || 2,359,061 || {{percentage bar|33.21|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 14 || [[Birbhum district|Birbhum]] || 3,502,404 || 2,181,515 || {{percentage bar|62.29|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 15 || [[Cooch Behar district|Cooch Behar]] || 2,819,086 || 2,087,766 || {{percentage bar|74.06|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 16 || [[Maldah district|Maldah]] || 3,988,845 || 1,914,352 || {{percentage bar|47.99|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 17 || [[Uttar Dinajpur district|Uttar Dinajpur]] || 3,007,134 || 1,482,943 || {{percentage bar|49.31|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 18 || [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]] || 1,846,823 || 1,366,681 || {{percentage bar|74.00|c=darkorange}}
|-
| 19 || [[Dakshin Dinajpur district|Dakshin Dinajpur]] || 1,676,276 || 1,232,850 || {{percentage bar|73.55|c=darkorange}}
|-
! || West Bengal (Total) || 91,276,115 || 64,385,546 || {{percentage bar|70.54|c=darkorange}}
|}

===Population growth===
{{Historical populations
|title = Decadal Hindu Population in West Bengal
|type =
|footnote =
|align = right
|width =
|state =
|shading =
|pop_name =
|percentages =
|source = <ref name="BPSR_2019">{{cite news |url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2342/1/U615290.pdf |title=The Population Trajectories of Bangladesh and West Bengal During the Twentieth Century: A Comparative Study |author=Nahid Kamal}}</ref>
|1901 | 10,786,582
|1911 | 11,231,845
|1921 | 10,783,197
|1931 | 11,855,510
|1941 | 14,102,633
|1951 | 20,698,627
|1961 | 27,521,688
|1971 | 34,607,685
|1981 | 42,007,159
|1991 | 50,850,000
|2001 | 58,104,835
|2011 | 64,385,546
}}
'''Percentage of Hindus in West Bengal by decades'''<ref name="BPSR_2019">{{cite news |url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2342/1/U615290.pdf |title=The Population Trajectories of Bangladesh and West Bengal During the Twentieth Century: A Comparative Study |author=Nahid Kamal}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! '''Year'''
! '''Percent'''
! '''Decrease'''
|-
| '''1901'''
| '''70.8%'''
|'''-'''
|-
| '''1911'''
| '''69.6%'''
| style="background: Red" |
'''-1.2%'''
|-
| '''1921'''
| '''68.5%'''
| style="background: Red" |
'''-1.1%'''
|-
| '''1931'''
| '''69.9%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |
'''+1.4%'''
|-
| '''1941'''
| '''67%'''
| style="background: Red" |
'''-2.9%'''
|-
| '''1947'''
| '''79.2%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |
'''+12.2%'''
|-
| '''1951'''
| '''78.7%'''
| style="background: red" |
'''-0.5%'''
|-
| '''1961'''
| '''78.8%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" | '''+0.1%'''
|-
| '''1971'''
| '''78.1%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-0.7%'''
|-
| '''1981'''
| '''76.9%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-1.2%'''
|-
| '''1991'''
| '''74.7%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-2.2%'''
|-
| '''2001'''
| '''72.5%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-2.2%'''
|-
| '''2011'''
| '''70.5%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-2%'''
|-
|}
After the [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|partition of Bengal]], a large section of upper and middle class [[Bengali Hindus]], numbering 2,519,557, from [[East Pakistan]] (present-day Bangladesh) migrated across the border. They settled primarily in [[Kolkata]] and other district headquarter towns. These were especially in across the state but particularly in [[Nadia district|Nadia]], [[South 24 Parganas district|South 24 Parganas]], [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]], [[Howrah district|Howrah]], [[West Dinajpur district|West Dinajpur]] and [[Jalpaiguri District|Jalpaiguri]] etc.

In 1971, during [[Bangladesh liberation war]] against [[Pakistan]], a large group of refugees numbering an estimated 7,235,916 have arrived from Bangladesh to India's West Bengal, Out of which nearly 80% of them are Bengali Hindus and after [[Independence of Bangladesh]], nearly 1,521,912 people belonging to Bengali Hindu refugees have decided to stay back in India particularly in West Bengal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=When Indira Gandhi said: Refugees of all religions must go back – Watch video|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/indira-gandhi-rahul-gandhi-rajiv-gandhi-east-pakistan-pakistan-assam-accord-national-register-of-citizens-congress-bharatiya-janata-party-tripura/264462|access-date=2021-02-09|website=www.timesnownews.com|language=en|archive-date=23 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123092721/https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/indira-gandhi-rahul-gandhi-rajiv-gandhi-east-pakistan-pakistan-assam-accord-national-register-of-citizens-congress-bharatiya-janata-party-tripura/264462|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The Hindu population in Western part of Bengal i.e West Bengal during first census of 1951 was around 19,462,706 and in 2011 census it had increased to 64,385,546. But the percentage of Hindu population in the state decreased from 78.45% in 1951 to 70.5% in 2011 Census. However, at 1947 just after the [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|partition of Bengal]], Hindus have formed nearly 79.2% of West Bengal population.

==Economy and business==

Economic participation, work roles and distribution across professions for Bengali Hindus is similar to the wider population in the rural areas, where agriculture and related activities remain the primary occupation. In the urban areas, the largest segment of the Hindu population is engaged mostly as services professionals across sectors.

Historically, since the advent of [[Company rule in India]], the upper-caste, landed Bengali Hindu gentry increasingly partnered with the [[East India Company]] to trade and supply goods such as silk, tea and jute to [[Europe]]. Subsequently, these families amassed massive wealth, increased their land holdings ([[Zamindars of Bengal|Zamindaris]]) further. As the ruling elite of [[Kolkata]], they established huge [[palaces]] and made the city a magnet for wealth. Businessmen like [[Dwarkanath Tagore]] and [[Raja Nabakrishna Deb]] are now recognized as some of India's earliest business tycoons in the modern era.

This continued to the 20th century when luminaries like [[Prafulla Chandra Ray]] established [[Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals]], [[Rajendra Nath Mookerjee]] formed engineering firm [[Martin Burn]] and Surendra Mohan Bose created the Duckback brand during the [[Swadeshi movement]], among many others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.getbengal.com/details/duckback-surendra-mohan-bose-who-dared-to-challenge-british-monopoly-of-100-years|title= Duckback-Surendra Mohan Bose who dared to challenge British monopoly of 100 years|publisher=getbengal.com|accessdate=August 25, 2020}}</ref>

In India, after [[Independence of India|independence]], large number of Bengali Hindus, both from West Bengal have also settled in the rest of India and abroad. The middle and upper middle class populations (who historically had levels of educational attainment) are now well entrenched in numerous professional fields like law, medicine, academics, engineering, journalism, liberal arts, corporates, banking, tax, etc. On the other hand, most of the rural and semi-rural population are now engaged in contractual agriculture, notably in [[Punjab]] and [[Haryana]], construction in [[Kerala]] and [[Karnataka]], logistics, manufacturing and small-scale businesses across the country.

Average literacy levels of Bengali Hindus remain higher than other communities in West Bengal. However, the opposite is true for the minority Hindu population in [[Bangladesh]].

Noted West Bengali Hindu industrialists include:
*[[Gouri Sen]]
*[[Gourmohan Dutta]] of GD Pharmaceuticals-manufacturers
*Hari Ghosh
*Banamali Sarkar
*[[Gobindram Mitter]]
*[[Prasanna Coomar Tagore]]
*[[Ramanath Tagore]]
*[[Rajen Mookerjee]]
*[[Rajat Kumar Gupta]]
*[[Alamohan Das]]
*[[Dwarkanath Tagore]]
*[[Purnendu Chatterjee]] of The Chatterjee Group & [[Haldia Petrochemicals]]
*Prashant Mukherjee
*[[Sadhan Dutt]]
*[[Subrata Roy]] of [[Sahara India Pariwar]]
*[[Sanjit Biswas]]
*[[Amar Gopal Bose]] of [[Bose Corporation]]
*[[Aveek Sarkar]]

== See also ==
* [[Hinduism in India]]
* [[Religion in West Bengal]]
* [[Hinduism in Bangladesh|Hinduism in East Bengal]]
* [[East Bengali refugees]]
* [[Bengali Hindus]].

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further links ==

* {{Cite book|last=Chatterjee|first=Chandra|title=Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the Hindu Dissent and the Partition of Bengal, 1932-1947|publisher=Manohar Publishers|year=2020f|isbn=9-781-000-16378-0|oclc=1158770381|ref={{SfnRef|Chaterjee|2020}}}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Hinduism in West Bengal}}

* {{Citation|title=Religion share in West Bengal|url=https://www.census2011.in/data/religion/state/19-west-bengal.html|work=[[2011 Census of India]]|publisher=[[Government of India]]}}
{{Hinduism in India by region}}{{Portal bar|India|Hinduism|Society|Religion}}

[[Category:Hinduism in West Bengal| ]]
[[Category:Social groups of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in India]]
[[Category:Religion in West Bengal]]

Hinduism in West Bengal - Revision history

MaryellenBuckman at 16:21, 3 March 2026