Friday 28 November 2014

My six day saree saga-Durga Puja 2014


Today morning I got up feeling really excited. I had a new and different idea for my new narrative. Actually I mostly enjoyed writing about my travel stories and social issues. But never did I try my hands on fashion. Not that I am a fashionista, but I love indulging myself like any other girl. And as all Bengalis would know, Durga Puja is the best time to check out what’s in and what’s out.
I just love to wear cottons, silks, junk jewellery and those big round bindis typical of Bengali style statement. And even though the whole year sees me in westerns, these five days of Sharodutsab (Durga Puja) pulls out the traditional me, and I truly and lovingly embrace this six yard wonder. So I just wanted to narrate (flaunt <wink>) my five (actually six, because this year we started a day earlier for the inauguration) day saree saga.

Panchami evening (Inauguration)
My husband and I are associated with a Social Organization called Spandan, based in Powai, Mumbai. An association of more than 200 mostly Bengali families. Hence occasions like this see a flood of chic people, dressed in their traditional best.

pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi

pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi

Based on the theme of “Yuva Shakti, Naba Shristi (Youth Power)”, our grand Puja was inaugurated by renowned film director Shri Pradeep Sarkar, former youngest minister of state Ms. Agatha Sangma and young entrepreneur Shri Sudhir Menon.
The members were asked to keep their dressing strictly traditional this evening:

Decked up for the inauguration ceremony
pic courtesy: Avishek

Me handing over the bouquet to Shri Pradeep Sarkar

Happy faces, pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi
Shasti evening  
Famous Bengali News channel ABP Ananda was supposed to cover our Puja this evening. I chose to wear one of my favorite sarees, the black and red Dhakai and teamed it with a golden forever 21 neckpiece:

Pic courtesy : Avishek

Pic courtesy : Avishek

Pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi


Saptami morning and evening
I decided to dedicate Saptami to my favorite color pink, both morning and evening saw a tinge of pink in my attire. While my morning was subtle with grey demanding prominence with some junk jewellery, evening was flashy with florescent pink and huge neckpiece again from forever 21. Performances from Shayak and Nipobithi made the evening awesome.

pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi

Pic courtesy : Avishek

Pic courtesy : Snehasis

pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi

Pic courtesy : Avishek

Ashtami morning and evening
Ashtami morning is more for devotion and puja and dressing takes a backseat. I don’t even have a picture of my attire. Keeping the divine feeling intact, I decided to wear a pure white Dhakai for the evening and teamed it a pearl ear ring and kept to minimal jewellery. I actually wanted the focus to be on my lovely saree which my in laws had sent me from Kolkata (Adi Dhakeswari Bastralaya). An electrifying performance by Akruti Kakkar, however later made me forget what I was wearing and dance like mad:

Pic courtesy : Snehasis

Pic courtesy : Snehasis

Nabami morning and evening
Nabami was “the day”, month’s long preparation was ultimately going to be paid off. My Play “Swapne Jemon Hoe” (meaning- the way it happens in dreams) was scheduled to be staged that evening. I did not go out in the morning as was busy with last minute rehearsals. In the evening had to get into the skin of a housewife in a lower middle class family.

pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi
A moment captured wonderfully from my play


However after the successful staging of my drama, I wore a black monotone silk and teamed it with a contrast red blouse and danced to the tunes of Cactus a famous Bengali Rock Band.


Pic courtesy : Avishek
 Dashami evening
This year Nabami and Dashami were on the same date. But we decided to stretch the celebrations a little more and the emersion was scheduled on the day next to Nabami.
This is the day when every Bengali girl looks beautiful with their vermillion smeared faces. It’s the last day to celebrate Ma Durga’s descent to the Earth, and the last day to go traditional.


Amidst chanting, gloom and hope of next year’s celebration, we bade adieu to MA with “Asche Bochor Abar hobe” (Ma will again come next year).

pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi

pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi


My Saree saga 2014 did not end with Durga Puja, after Durga Puja we bengalis have a gathering called "Bijaya Sanmilan". I ultimately concluded my this years endeavour with the following look:



pic courtesy: Avishek


Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta





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