Bengali TV actors celebrate Nabo Barsho

It’s been a regular practice, that on New Year’s Day (Poila Boishak), Bengalis around the world start their day by offering puja after wearing ‘notun jama’ (new dress) and follow it up by gorging on some delicious food. Well, today is Poila Boisakh, the first day of the Baisakhi calendar of the Bengalis. And as a tradition Bengalis celebrate their New Year (Nabo Barsho) every year on 15 April all over the world. Talking about the festival, it’s a big day in Kolkata and all over Bengal, but the fervor is seen missing in a city like Mumbai. In our inquisitiveness to find out how our Bengali actors are celebrating the day we talked to a few of them. Bengalis are known for their love of culture, art and food. And any festival without the traditional food is incomplete. As the chirpy Tina Dutta, who’s celebrating the day with her mother gorging on some traditional Bengali food at Oh! Calcutta shared, “I miss my days in Kolkata where we used to have so much fun going to my dida’s (grandmother) place and have the best of the food. But thankfully I can eat some of the best preparations of prawns and mutton here at the restaurant with my mother by my side and bring in the New Year.” The fiery Debina Bonnerjee, who makes sure to have Bengali food every day, has a different plan altogether. “Being a true Bengali, I believe in having the traditional home cooked healthy food every day. Thus the year round I make sure to have my staple diet of sukto and jhol. So I have decided to have something different today. Thus we (she and her husband Gurmeet Choudhary) will go to a nice restaurant for dinner to celebrate Nabo Barsho. I understand the importance of the day and hence have gifted myself a new dress (smiles),” she averred. Being in a city away from home, the traditional celebrations might be missing, but some still believe in doing their bit as Kamalika Guha Thakurta puts in, “Early in the morning I went to the mandir and offered pujo. Since for me, my family is very important, I will spend the entire day with them. Although the entire rituals cannot be followed by us, I make it a point to at least decorate my house and cook some good food.” Luckily, Kamalika has her family by her side but for the young bong beauties Pratyusha Bannerjee and Sayantani Ghosh, the going is quite different. An upset Pratyusha sighs, “It’s so depressing during festivals to have no one around you. This is the first time that during Nabo Barsho, my family is not with me and it’s terrible. I remember the time I used to have fun with my cousins and enjoy the day gorging on food and spending a fun-filled day especially when I used to go to my dida’s place.” On the other hand Sayantani recollects, “I remember that as a kid I used to go with my mother to shops and get the calendars and sweets that they offered on the day (laughs). I used to really look forward to all these fun outings but right now being away from home I am missing all the revelry. It’s sad, but then that’s how life goes on. I haven’t even planned anything special for the day; let’s see how it goes by.” “I am sitting at home all alone watching Chak De! India. Watching Shah Rukh Khan is the only high point to pep up my mood today,” smiles Pratyusha. Unlike the New Year (1 January), this festival is not celebrated much in the city. We wondered if the occasion has lost its charm! Avers Ronit Roy, “There is, of course, a difference in the two. One is a global occasion while the other is on a regional plane; so there has to be disparity. But nevertheless it is important for all Bengalis and it will always be.” “We left our city and to pursue a career here. Thus we should not feel dejected by the fact that there is not much of a happening on the day. Instead, we should be thankful of having achieved a foothold in the city and with close ones around, festivals are special anyways,” admits Kamalika. Finally Debina quips, “To be honest, it’s only when you are away from Kolkata, you think that the charm is lost. Otherwise the festival thrives in the air of Kolkata; you can literally breathe and feel it. It’s a big day for us Bengalis and in heart today every Bengali must be celebrating the day even if not with much fanfare.” Here’s wishing everyone a Shubho Nabo Barsho!