Think Durga Puja and each one of us will paint it with a different brush — for some it’s five days of holidays and endless pandal-hopping. For some, it’s an excuse to soak in the city’s vibrant art installations, lose themselves in the dhaak beats or twirl away in a spirited dhunuchi naach. For many, it’s also the perfect season for ‘pet pujo’.
Kolkata-based designer Abhisek Roy, founder of Roy Calcutta, swears by spending Durga Puja in Kolkata with friends. Durga Puja is not just a festival for the fashion guru, but a full-blown cultural phenomenon that he staunchly refuses to miss. Of course, dhuti-panjabi on all five days is a non-negotiable for Roy.
“For me, Pujo is a citywide cultural celebration — the lights, the dhaak beats, the art, the energy. It’s not just a Bangali festival. I still feel like a little kid counting down to these five days every year,” he said.
‘For me, Pujo is a citywide cultural celebration. I still feel like a little kid counting down to these five days every year,’ said Roy
Thanks to Roy’s profession, he gets a sneak peek into many of the city’s themed Pujos, well in advance. He is invited to judge exhibitions and shows. “I get to see a lot of Pujos right from Panchami but I don’t go on assignments outside the city. Once I went out of Kolkata during Puja, and I fell into depression. So, I am never travelling out of the city again on these five days. These days are meant for soaking in every vibe possible,” shared the couturier.
When Roy is not attending events, he visits his friends in Kolkata, relishing bhog at their ‘barir pujo’. “I have bhog for lunch every day. I live for it,” he said.
Roy admires every ritual associated with Durga Puja. ‘I have bhog for lunch every day. I live for it,’ he said
Roy is also a fan of pandal-hopping. “It's just not about the festival; it's not just about the religious aspect of it. It's also about meeting friends, seeing a lot of art happening — the installations, which the city waits for throughout the year and the celebrations. This is something which I can't miss,” noted Roy, who admires every ritual associated with Durga Puja.
The designer shared that he gets emotional on Dashami, when Maa bids farewell. “Bhashan is always bittersweet — there’s sadness, but also joy in dancing with my friends all the way to Ganga. It’s our way of celebrating Maa one final time before another year’s wait for her return begins,” said Roy.
