When Bollywood music composer, instrumentalist, and singer Pritam Chakraborty first came to Mumbai, he would miss the Durga Puja he had grown up celebrating in Kolkata. But now, over the last two decades of his career, he has grown to love the celebration in Mumbai, too.

“For every Bengali, Durga Puja is the biggest festival, and we wait for it the entire year. We plan for weeks and begin buying new clothes months in advance. It’s a different feeling altogether and cannot be put into words. When I was in Kolkata, I’d go for the para (neighbourhood) pujo. Once I shifted to Pune, and later during my early years in Mumbai, I felt the pang of missing it all. In those days, I did not know many people, and I really missed Durga Puja.”

Over the years, he settled in and forged relationships here and now has many friends in the city with whom he enjoys the festival. Pritam’s family is also a part of the organisers of the Aikatan Durga Puja, Andheri. He shares, “Now, since we have a ghorer pujo (family puja), with my elder sister Sangeeta and brother-in-law Tapas Bhadury, and my mother Anuradha Chakraborty, that charm of Kolkata Pujo has come back for me. I also go for the North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja Samity of Debu Kaka (Deb Mukherjee), Ayan (Mukerji) and Rani Mukerji, now that I know them well. This year I will also perform there for one of the nights.”

For most Bongs, Durga Puja celebrations are incomplete without pandal hopping, and Pritam agrees, saying, “I plan to go pandal hopping one night right from Powai and Chembur to Shivaji Park and the suburbs.”

Pritam is happy that he does not have any more film commitments this month. He says, “I had Ganpati at home, but this year I could not spend any time at home because of my work commitments and film release. I am glad that I don’t have any this month, so I will be able to enjoy Durga Puja thoroughly.”