Durga Puja, this year, is rather special for actor Bipasha Basu Singh Grover, as she and her husband, actor Karan Singh Grover await the arrival of their little one.

“This year has been blessed by Maa Durga. Our baby is going to arrive soon,” the mum to-be tells us, and goes on to share an incident she holds very close to her heart: “Last year, in November, we had a beautiful darshan of Maa Vaishno Devi, and Karan and I prayed to have a baby. When we got to know of my pregnancy and I went for my first ultrasound, the due date turned out to be the same date on which we were there (in Vaishno Devi)! Maa Durga is a part of our lives.”

Given the stage of pregnancy she is in at present, Bipasha has been told by her doctors not to venture out much. And that means no pandal hopping, either. “I’m pretty close to my due date. Even though I want to go, my size doesn’t permit me. Also, I don’t have clothes. Any time I have to step out, I’ve to think what to wear! But, the main reason (for not stepping out) is the health of the baby. I’d prefer to not to expose myself much to the viruses around, at this point,” she says.

Pujo has always been very special for the 43-year-old. She recalls, “Though I was born in Delhi, we used to travel to Kolkata for this (Pujo). I’ve been a devotee of Maa Durga from a very young age. My mum gave me a Durga locket, and I don’t go anywhere without it. I miss the celebrations in Kolkata. It’s beautiful in Mumbai, too, but I still miss the fervour there.”