Pujo Pujo gondho–a feeling only Bongs get. Pujo is not just a festival, but an emotion. With hardly any time left for the Durga pujo madness to begin next month, we are sure you already have your itinerary ready. Don’t you?
The five-day-long festivity is the most awaited festival for Bengalis, and for all the right reasons. From gorging over some lip-smacking bhog to the never-ending pujo adda, we bring to you a list of things that make pandal hopping so much fun during Durga Puja.
1. The never-ending food ride
Not that we don’t get to savour jhalmuri, egg rolls, and mutton chops all through the year, but the joy of gorging on these delicacies at the food stalls in the puja pandals with your gang is unbeatable. So much so, that you don’t mind standing in the long queue in front of the stalls, waiting for your coupon number to be called out. Anything for tele bhaja and kashundi, right? You need to fill up your tummy to keep the day going. Pandal hopping is tiring, but fun!
2. The intoxicating dhunuchi
The gondho (fragrance) of dhunuchi is plain intoxicating. Whether you are a devotee or not, the traditional dhunuchi dance is charming at every puja pandal. It usually happens after the sundown aarti and takes over the entire pandal with its fragrance and the dhak beats. You are lucky to witness this mesmerizing art of devotion only once a year, and you can’t afford to miss it.
3. Playing all dress up
Dear fellow bongs, admit it! You wait all year long just for those five special pujo days to dress up your best. Your pujo shopping starts months in advance and all you care about is getting your hands on the best saris to drape starting Shashti till Nobomi. Not just that, you gotta wear matching accessories and your pujo makeup needs to be on point too.
4. That one DSLR friend we all have needs a special mention
We all have that one friend who makes all our pujo shaaj worth it by clicking some stupendous shots for us to flaunt on our Instagram and Facebook.
5. Pujo and adda go hand-in-hand
Pujo and adda are synonymous. Adda means fun conversations and gossip, and pujo pandals are the best places to have it. You have stocked up on so much throughout the year, only to let it out during pujo adda. It’s that time when you go back to your hometown, meet your old bunch of friends and relatives, drag some chairs to form a circle, and let the adda take over.
6. Every pandal is a work of art
Bengalis are known to be the epitome of art for a reason. Pandal hopping lets you witness some of the most quintessential Bengali art forms ever. From grand pandals to Durga idols, the lights and the decor it all one of a kind experience that you won’t find anywhere else.
7. The bhog
This is not even debatable. The bhog served at pujo pandals is perhaps the tastiest meal ever. It compromises of khichuri, chachari, beguni, aloo bhaja, aloo fulkopi, aloo dom, chatni, roshogolla, shukto and payesh, which is served for free to all. It’s so damn good that even non-bengalis vouch for it. Not exaggerating a bit!
You couldn’t agree to it more, right? So guys, let us know what makes your pandal hopping fun and how are you planning to make it extra special this year?
