Happy Durga Puja: Featuring my little Baby Girl, my little Durga

Durga Puja, it evokes so much nostalgia in my mind. Though considered loud and feverish by non-Kolkatans, the Durga Puja of Kolkata has something very special about it, something that I can never express in words and something that will forever remain close to my heart.

The Pujo gondho and the drumbeats still take me back to the past and I wish I could travel backwards, at least for once. I remember how I used to be all giddy and extremely happy for Pujo, though now I feel that the joy or the sheer euphoria of Durga Pujo have eroded with time. Maybe staying away from Kolkata or the absence of Maa-Baba or just the pressure and complexities of life played roles in it. Sometimes, when life gets hard you tend to slip away from the basic mundane things that cause any other happiness, maybe that’s the case and that’s why I don’t feel the same joy anymore.

But now, being a mother, I want my little baby girl to feel and experience the same joys of Durga Pujo that I did. The Kash Phool, Dhaker Sobdo, Autumn clouds, Shiuli Phool, Pujo’r chhuti, Pujo Barshiki, gaan, cinemas, new dresses, gifts, get-togethers, Pujo Porikroma, Pujo Prem, Pujor Ranna, Bijoya Sammelani, I want her to get drenched in the Pujo fervor so much so that she would always look forward to the arrival of the festival next year, with the same anticipation of "Pujo asche" and the hope of "Asche bochor abar hobe", just like I did. I want her to feel the undeniable goose-bumps of that inescapable sentiment whenever she hears the magical enchantments of Birendra Krishna Bhadra on Mahalaya, just like I did. Now whether she will like the cacophony of the city or the somberness of a rural pujo, mad pandal hopping or a peaceful private adda, a trip to relax or just snoozing throughout the days, that’s up to her.

I used to go out to see Durga Thakur with my baba, and in front of the thick crowd and jam packed Pandals father used to pick me up and hold me high above his shoulder level so that I could see Durga Maa clearly. Those days are still alive in my mind and I can already visualize Bani visiting pandals while riding on her Baba’s shoulders…

Anyway, that’s quite a lot of hopes and wishes, all I want is her to have safe and fun Durga Pujos.

Coming back to today’s post, if you remember, I love featuring my favorite women (the real life Durgas) on my blog for Pujo and now that I have this new tini-mini favorite woman of my life, how can I miss gracing up my page with her? I planned to post this on Mahalaya, but as you can see, it didn’t happen!! So posting today, on the auspicious day of Maha Asthami..

It just doesn't seem real that we celebrated one whole year of her life just few days back. She is by far the sassiest, craziest, mischievous, most stubborn and bull headed girl you’ll ever meet. (I thought I had these in the bag). Her personality is unreal and she keeps us on our toes! She LOVES to dance, boss you around and keep up with her meow dada. She's pretty much mastered walking unless she decides to be lazy and will eat anything that’s inedible. We love you baby girl. Wish we could rewind just a bit….

Anyway, that’s a lot for today! Wishing you all a very happy Durga Pujo.. J
Stay safe and have fun..

 

 

 

.