Welcome to the season of dhaak and dhunuchi a.k.a Durga Puja. One of the most-awaited festivals in the Eastern belt celebrated to mark the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasur. This five-day-long festival involves pandal hopping, hogging on street food, adda and watching cultural shows.
However, amidst the pandemic, things will be different this year. Although you might find a few Durga Puja pandals around your city, it is best to stay at home and take care of yourself and the health of your loved ones to beat this pandemic.
Durga Puja has always been more than just a festival. It is a state of mind. So what if we don’t go hopping pandals, we can definitely bring the Pujo feeling to our home. I wrote an article a few years ago sharing ten reasons why we love Durga Puja. In that article, I explained what we did during these five days of festivity. I will try doing something similar this year. Here’s what I’m planning to do this Durga Puja at home that you can try too.
For those who wish to visit the pandals, don’t forget to wear a mask, carry a hand sanitiser bottle along with spray, drink plenty of water and maintain social distancing. 🙂
Morning
Start your day by dressing up in your Pujo clothes, followed by a quick photo session (optional). You can order your clothes online, and to make it more fun, ask your sibling or parents to pick a dress for you.
Breakfast
Have fruits and sweets for Breakfast along with any traditional Bengali dish like Radha Bollobi or Kochuri. Fruits and sweet is the prasad that we used to get after Pushpanjali, a ritual performed all day long during Durga Puja, where we offer flowers and prayer to the Goddess to seek her blessings.
Noon
Gather your family for an adda (gossiping) session along with some fun games. You can also connect with your friends and families over a video call and have a fun time. Here are some games that you can play:
- Tambola
- Ludo
- Pictionary
- Pinata game
- Dumb Charades
Lunch
Prepare a bhog (offering) style lunch at home, Khidchi along with Labra Torkari (mixed vegetables) or Paneer and Pulav. You can pick a different menu each day or have Khichdi all five days with various complementary dishes each day, like Beguni, Papad etc.
Sleep now, cause a fun evening, and a long night awaits you.
Evening
Start your evening with some lip-smacking snack that you can order online, because ordering food online is safe, according to WHO. Here’s a typical menu, which you might find at a Durga Puja pandal that you can order online:
- Kebabs
- Kathi Rolls
- Kosha Mangsho and Luchi
- Kolkata Biryani
- Chinese platter
- Shawrma
Additionally, you can watch the Sandhya aarti online and dance to some Durga Puja songs. Here’s a playlist for you.
Night
At night, watch a classic Bengali movie. Create a list of movies that you might want to watch. Grab a bowl of Act II popcorn, pick a film of your choice and enjoy with your family. Here’s a list of a few Bengali movies that I’ll be watching this Durga Puja.
Like I said earlier, Durga Puja is more than just a festival. It is a feeling that can be felt anywhere be it in a pandal or at home. I will be giving a demo in the coming days because this is how I’ll be celebrating Durga Puja this year. Stay home, stay healthy and stay safe!
