Her schedule is packed because of her show’s shoot but Anupamaa actress Rupali Ganguly is taking out time for pandal hopping. “I am a Marathi and Bengali, so my Bengali genes completely take over during Pujo and this is the time when nothing happens, sirf puja chalti hai. This time, it is hectic because of my shoot but there are certain things that I cannot miss. I am going pandal hopping, eating all the goodies and jitna ho sakta hai, utni masti kar rahi hun. Sindoor khela bhi definitely khelungi,” says the actress, who was in Delhi recently.

For her, the fondest memories of Durga Puja are from her childhood. “I remember going to the Shivaji Park Pandal in Mumbai with my papa, kakus, cousins and my entire family, bonding over adda, while gorging on shingara, cutlets and relishing bhog. I am very emotional about the bhog and line mein khade ho kar bhog lena. Ab toh baith ke khilate hain, tab humein line mein khade ho kar lena hota tha, there are lots of memories. Wahan sabse important hota tha adda marna, which included general charcha and gupshup; we Bengalis thrive on adda...Durga Puja, for me, is about five days of picnic, masti, doing puja and imbibing the essence of maa in you,” says the actress.

She adds, “It means connecting to my cultural roots, bringing out the Bengali in me, passing on the culture and traditions to my child the way my parents passed it down to me. My mother is a Maharashtrian, but the way she imbibed the whole Bengali culture is commendable. Durga Puja means connecting to the divine force, and I am a firm believer of Maa Durga, so this is the time for me to connect with my culture.”

The actress also points out that the meaning of the festival has not changed for her over the years. “This is the time to get together with family, friends, and spend time with maa. Pujo, for me, is connecting to my inner self, connecting to everyone around and the divine force, it has been the same and it will continue to remain the same for years,” she says.