Shubha Kenworthy, aka Pinky Kenworthy, a fashion stylist, grooming and fashion show choreographer, spends her Durga Puja enjoying the festivities with family and friends, if not vacationing with her husband chef Shaun Kenworthy. Speaking to My Kolkata about her pujo plans, Shubha shares her love for saris, bhog, pandal-hopping and more.
My Kolkata: What are your plans for Durga Puja?
Pinky Kenworthy: This year, we are going for a holiday in the UK, because it has been a busy year and we needed some time off. But if we are in Kolkata, our pujo days are usually packed. We go pandal-hopping. I remember, one year, we took a cab till Kumartuli and walked back to south Kolkata covering the big pujas. We always go pandal hopping early in the morning and walk when it is not very crowded. When the crowd gets out on the road, we come back. Every year, we also visit makeup artist Abhijit Chanda’s house on Dashami and enjoy sindoor khela. We also visit Belur Math with some friends from abroad and Kolkata. We jump on a boat and watch the bhashan from the river. It is a spectacular sight.
Any special outfit(s) for Puja this year? What do you usually wear?
My usual pujo outfit is comfy, cotton linen saris. When I go to the barir pujos, I make it a point to make it more dressy with jewellery. Even though I am not going to be in Kolkata for Durga Puja, I have brought quite a few saris. I love shopping for saris from various shops in Gariahat because they have the best collections there. I never buy from anywhere else, And they are also very truthful about the quality. If the saris are not handmade they will tell you that they are machine made. I usually pair my saris with my silver and gold jewellery. I buy silver jewellery from New Market.
‘My usual pujo outfit is comfy, cotton linen saris’, says Pinky
Is there a special event or tradition (personal or ritualistic) that you follow during Durga Puja?
Nothing as such, because my father was in the army and we were always moving. Every two years we were in a different place, with different friends and in a different scenario. Sometimes we were in the border area and celebrated Durga Puja with other army officers. In the army, they celebrate all festivals. Sometimes, we would go to the nearby Durga temple, eat bhog and hang out with friends. My mother always made sure we were in new clothes twice a day. Everywhere we went, we would go for the morning anjali, eat bhog, come back for an afternoon nap and then change clothes and go back for the evening aarti.
Do you have a special memory associated with Durga Puja in Kolkata or elsewhere?
I have two. One special memory is from my childhood, when my dad was posted in Himachal Pradesh. We were in Yol, near Dharamshala. To immerse the Durga idol, we had to go to Kangra Valley, which is quite a distance. We had to travel two hours up and down. We were in an open truck and went through small villages making all sorts of noise and having fun. The other special memory is from my adulthood — our marriage. Shaun and I decided to get married 2-3 months after seeing each other, the registrar called us and said that from the next day until three months we could marry any day. So we did not wait and said we’ll get married the next day, which happened to be Sashthi in 2004. My mother was against the date and said it was not the right time, but then she researched a lot and found out a suitable time and we got married. So most of the years, our anniversary falls amidst Durga Puja.
Shaun and Pinky on their wedding day in 2004
What is your favourite Durga Puja-time food?
It has to be bhog. We keep eating all other cuisines throughout the year and bhog is something we get only on specific occasions. All kinds of bhog from khichudi, labra to luchi, are my favourite. I like all that pujor khabar and I am very Bangali that way and so is Shaun. He is probably more Bengali than I am.
One power of Durga you wish you had and why?
Of course, slaying! Slaying all the demons of the society that exists today! That’s what she is known for! I would love to have that power of eliminating all negative things that should not exist in society.
