While pandal-hopping and hanging out topped the Puja to-do list of many, dandiya marathons were not far behind. Traditional to disco, the stick dance got the young and the young-at-heart jiving the night away, on October 1, 2 and 3. Four dandiya bashes, held in association with t2, kept the revellers happy. Snapshots...

TV hunk Rithvik Dhanjani of Pavitra Rishta dropped by at Buzzutsav, held in association with t2 in Mani Square’s Penetti Banquet, to cheer the crowd and also try his hand at dandiya. Both disco and traditional dandiya were on the playlist at this three-day (October 1-3) do where chart-toppers Abhi toh party shuru hui hai and Baby doll made the party-goers groove. TV star Karan Tacker, who impressed us with his dance moves on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, was also present. While Rithvik invited members of the audience to dance with him, Karan got off stage to shake a leg with the revellers. The sip-and-bite list had an Indian thali and Pineapple Masala Thums Up.

Daya and Jethalal of the Sony SAB show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah were the star attractions at the three-day (October 1-3) Dandiya Utsav partnered by t2 in Swabhumi. The duo performed an aarti and then headed for the traditional dandiya stage where the participants, dressed in colourful ghagra choli, joined them in stick dance. They put up a brief act from their popular show in the disco dandiya section. The kids were in for a treat with Doraemon and Ganesha costume characters selling Doraemon cupcakes and laddoos!

Himansh made a hatke entry, on a jeep decorated especially for the occasion. He jived with the kids to his Yaariyan hit Sunny sunny. Held between October 1 and 3, Day One of Dil Se Dandiya Utsav was dedicated to children, and elderly guests from NGOs and old-age homes across the city. Children with special needs from the NGO Bodhayan performed to Dil hai chhota sa and also played the tabla.

We caught up with Kumartuli boy Shantanu Maheshwari aka Swayam of Channel V’s Dil Dostii Dance (D3) post-Puja...

What was performing at the Dandiotsav like?

To be honest, I was very surprised. I didn’t expect that so many people would come to see me! The organisers said that after I was signed on, the sale of passes increased. The response was overwhelming. I was speechless! They were shouting, ‘Swayam, Swayam’, ‘the lover boy’! The girls in the front row kept screaming, ‘I love you... I love you...’ (Laughs)

And how was the reception at home?

The residents of my building came to meet me.... It was a nice feeling. My parents stay with me in Mumbai but my uncles, aunts and other relatives live in Calcutta.

You are back in your hometown after a long gap. How did you spend the Pujas?

I have come to my city during Durga Puja after three years. After D3 started, I didn’t get the time to visit Calcutta properly. This time, whatever time I had, I went pandal-hopping in the early morning. I went to the Kalighat Kali temple for the first time. I had fun.... We had VIP passes for our Kumartuli puja. Unfortunately, I couldn’t feast on street food as I wasn’t well.

What are your fondest childhood Durga Puja memories?

There are too many! I remember we would roam around, doing pretty much anything without restrictions. I miss those days! We used to go balloon-shooting and we would eat anything. We were given the permission to stay out for a long time. Pandal ke line mein khade rehte thhe aur time ka fikr nahin hota tha. We grew up in Kumartuli. So, we knew in advance which Durga idol was going to which pandal.

 

Ratnalekha Mazumdar