Your favourite TV stars share Dussehra plans!

Last updated on: September 29, 2011 12:35 IST Sumona Chakravarti

Says Sumona Chakravarti of serial Bade Acche Lagte Hain:

Being a Mumbaikar now, I have celebrated Durga Puja here for almost 15 years. I have never been to Kolkata for Durga Puja. I hope to go there sometime in the future and enjoy the traditional Durga Puja. Every year I visit Abhijeet Bhattacharya's pandal in Lokandwala (Andheri, Mumbai) and also other pandals in Santacruz, Andheri and Bandra — mostly in suburbs.

I don't observe any fast as such, but on Shosti I only have plain tea, go to the temple and offer Pushpa Anjali to the goddess at noon. The bhog (prasad) which they serve is to die for! Its khichdi, mixed vegetables and some sweet dish. I hate it when my mom cooks khichdi because it reminds me of being unwell. But during Durga Puja I wait to have it. I have bunked school and college during Durga just for the bhog. I am a hardcore non-vegetarian but this bhog is something better than any other exotic non-vegetarian food.

Five days our kitchens are shut (except for tea) — we eat outside, come home and crash. Every day we do pandal-hopping, sometimes I think we Bengalis love to eat and live to eat.

This year I am busy with my shooting schedules unlike last year. I have asked the production house for at least two days' leave. I am planning to take leave on Shosti and Astami. Last year I had fun on all four days.

Last year, for the first time I wore a sari for Durga Puja and I got so many marriage proposals. I had heard that in Kolkata during Durga Puja they do a lot of match-making. When I experienced it, I was laughing and I couldn't believe it.

Image: Sumona Chakravarti

Your favourite TV stars share Dussehra plans!