With Durga Puja celebrations being done in a low-key manner due to the Coronavirus pandemic, actress Rituparna Sengupta couldn’t come to Mumbai to participate in the festivities this year. The actress has been stationed in Singapore with her family over the last seven months. Talking to Bombay Times about her Durga Puja plans, she says, “My days in Singapore during the pujo are all about little outings with friends, but only five at one time as that’s the rule here. To celebrate the festival here, I wear sarees, offer prayers to Maa Durga and have a lunch that includes traditional Bengali delicacies.’ On a nostalgic note, she tells us, “What I really miss about Mumbai’s Durga Puja celebrations is the positivity and the synergy. The cosmopolitan crowds are a huge part of the festival, and that gives it a beautiful dimension.”

Rituparna further adds, “Since association pujas aren’t allowed anywhere, everyone is celebrating in their own way. We will do some charity work through an organisation. That’s something we do every year in Kolkata. I will try to offer anjali virtually. I will miss wearing my red tika and a brand new saree that I wear every year while praying to Maa Durga at our own pandal. A lot of my friends will have small pujas at their residences in Kolkata and we will wait to see their pujo and aarti virtually. I will miss all the delicious food and bhog this year.”

The actress hopes that the festive atmosphere boosts people’s morale amid the pandemic. She says, “Our minds are clouded with a lot of indecisiveness and sadness. I think Maa Durga will eradicate that and help us rebuild our confidence.”