Usha Bishoyee’s rhymes and recipes have earned her much love and adoration on social media. The sprightly woman behind YouTube and Instagram pages Oldays Kitchen has her own special rituals and traditions for Durga Puja, and of course, food plays a huge role in the festivities.
For our series on Durga Puja celebrations, My Kolkata spoke to Usha about the traditions and rituals of her family Puja in Digha, plans for this year, and a lot more.
My Kolkata: Do you usually spend Durga Puja in Kolkata?
Usha Bishoyee: I have never been to Kolkata during Puja. I usually go to Digha to my father’s house where our family Puja is celebrated every year.
Any special outfit(s) for Puja this year? If not, what do you usually wear?
I always wear saris during Pujo. Taanter saris are my favourite and that’s what I usually buy. This year though, I have been shopping online.
Is there a special event or tradition (personal or ritualistic) that you follow during Durga Puja?
In my family, we have a special ritual during Dashami. Before immersion we make a potla for our beloved Durga Ma. It is filled with narkel (coconut) naarus, so that she can feed her family on her way back. Our Durga idol is a seated idol and we place the parcel on her lap (kol in Bengali), which is why it is called koler nauru.
Usha Bishoyee’s family Puja in Digha has a sitting idol of Durga
Do you have a special memory associated with Durga Puja?
It is not a happy memory, unfortunately and till date in between everything my thoughts go to that during Puja. In 2018, on the day of Mahalaya, after taking down coconuts from the tree to make narus my older brother passed away. It was very sudden, and I had lost my father as a kid, so he was like a father to me. Now, when I think of Pujo, this also comes to mind.
What is your favourite Durga Puja-time food?
On Ashtami, luchis fried in ghee with alu torkari is served. On Navami, we usually make fish and on Dashami it is mutton. This has been like a custom in the family for years and I really enjoy it.
One power of Durga you wish you had and why?
She is Shanti rupe na samsthitha, so I want her to give me peace for the wellbeing of the family.