Hindustan Times (Gurugram) - Hindustan Times (Gurugram) - City
DURGA PUJA: A TIME FOR JOY AND STRENGHT
Celebrities talk about their Puja plans and comment on whether the #MeToo storm in the world of entertainment will make this Puja even more special for women
ARJUN BIJLANI
“I’ll visit one of the pandals. Given my hectic schedules this year, I don’t have much time to explore more. I’ve brought a Durga Mata idol for my home this time. Durga Maa is always considered the epitome of power and strength. #MeToo or no #MeToo movement, Durga Maa is associated with women’s empowerment forever.”
POOJA BANERJEE
“I’ll be shooting back to back, shuttling between the sets of two shows. But still, I’ll visit Delhi to be with my family for Ashtami Puja. For the rest of the days, I’ll offer Pushpanjali in Mumbai. And, of course, I’ll wear saris and be all decked up, and relish my favourite Bengali dishes. Durga Puja is about empowering everyone; the death of evil and the rise of good. This Durga Puja, obviously we’ll see more of women’s empowerment. All those men with power and evil intentions will now think a hundred times before doing anything wrong.”
SAYANTANI GHOSH
“I’ve taken off on Ashtami and Navami. I’ll wear a sari and offer Pushpanjali and relish bhog (the food offered to the goddess). And I’ve made pandal-hopping plans with my friends and brother. I feel, when we talk about women’s empowerment, the mindset is limiting things to a few days: Women’s Day or Mother’s Day. But every day is about women’s empowerment. Now that Maa Durga is around and in the wake of the #MeToo movement, people will speak about this more. I think it should be all about equality.”
TINAA DATTA
“We do nine days of hawan at home to celebrate Navratri and go to Durga mandir to offer prayers. Being a Bengali, for us, Durga Puja is a festival of food; it’s the time when stalls are put up. I relate to this festival because Maa Durga is the embodiment of power, the deity who defeated evil. It’s very important in these testing times. Remember, there’s Durga in every woman.”
INDRANEIL SENGUPTA
“I’ll be busy with my shoots every day, so I can’t afford to make plans, as such. I’ll try to visit one of the Durga Puja pandals once during the festival with my family (including wife Barkha Bisht Sengupta, pictured, and their daughter). To me, Durga Puja is the celebration of the power of the Devi. So, it has always been about women’s empowerment. I don’t feel that the significance is more because of a movement.”