An octogenarian woman of Banarhat in Jalpaiguri district was caught by surprise when chief minister Mamata Banerjee walked to her house on Sunday afternoon.

Mamata, who reached Banarhat High School ground by a chopper from Alipurduar, sipped tea at Pratibha Bhadra's residence in Adarshapally, greeted her and other family members, and enquired about their well-being.

After disembarking from the helicopter, Mamata started walking with officials of the district administration and police personnel. She offered puja at a temple in Adarshapally.

While walking, Mamata spotted Pratibha, who was standing in front of her house to catch a glimpse of the chief minister like hundreds of other residents in Banarhat.

The chief minister approached the octogenarian woman and touched her feet. Pratibha was too surprised to react. Mamata soon entered her house — a wooden structure.

“I had wanted to meet her but never thought that it would come true. It is the experience of a lifetime. Her simplicity has surprised me. She casually walked in and started chatting with us,” said Pratibha, 84.

The chief minister, along with Shama Parveen, the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri, sat on a bed with Pratibha. Rita, her daughter-in-law, offered them water and tea. Mamata sipped tea with Parveen and spoke to the elderly woman and her family members. She also entered the kitchen and the “thakur ghar (prayer room)" of the family.

Narugopal, Pratibha’s son, rushed in. A government contractor, he interacted with the chief minister and thanked her for the surprise visit to their house.

“Didi gave us shawls. We never thought that the chief minister would visit our house. It is a memory which we will cherish for years,” said Rita.

After exchanging pleasantries with the family, the chief minister and the district magistrate left for the inspection bungalow of the state irrigation department where she will stay on Sunday night.

“Pratibha devi had wished to meet me. Today, I went to her house and drank tea. It was a nice experience,” said Mamata.

During her walk, Mamata also distributed woollens among local people.

On Monday, the chief minister will attend a public service distribution programme at the Tarun Sangha ground in Banarhat. Around 3,000 pattas (secured land tenures)" will be provided to tea garden workers, said sources.