Actor Pallaavii Chatterjee, who was recently seen in the web series The Revolutionaries, directed by Nikkhil Advani, considers Kojagari Laxmi Pujo much more than a festival. It is a family tradition that has been passed down through generations for over 150 years. Having taken over the responsibility from her late mother, Mrs Ratna Chatterjee, Pallaavii has been performing the puja at her Kolkata home for 25 years, and this year marks her 26th year of celebrating the festival.
From personally shopping for the puja essentials and following the rituals to preparing traditional Bengali bhog and cleaning and decorating the house, she continues to follow the traditions she grew up watching her mother observe. The festival also brings together her close friends, colleagues and people from different walks of life, turning her home into a place of devotion, warmth and togetherness. It is almost like a Bijoya Dashami get-together, where everyone comes together to meet and greet one another.
Talking about what Kojagari Laxmi Pujo means to her, Pallaavii says, “It is very, very special to me because my family has been performing this puja for more than 150 years. It has come down from one generation to another. My mother used to perform it, and she passed the responsibility on to me. I follow the same traditions and rituals that she followed. Initially, I used to celebrate it on a small scale, but gradually, it has grown by the grace of Maa Laxmi. Today, people know it as Lakshmi Puja at Pallaavii’s or Maku’s house. And when I say family, I don’t mean only blood relatives. My close friends and people who are like family to me are all part of it. They come to seek Maa’s blessings, have bhog and meet me.”
The actor reveals that she has been organising the puja at her home for 26 years and personally takes care of the preparations. “I have been performing Lakshmi Puja at home for 26 years now. I enjoy doing the shopping myself. I have just arrived in Kolkata, and I go to my regular vendors in Gariahat to buy everything I need. I don’t like ordering everything online. In a flat, you have to make space for the arrangements, and the temple and the entire puja area are cleaned and prepared. It almost feels like the preparations for Diwali. The rituals include making alpona (similar to rangoli), decorating the house and arranging everything for Maa. The entire process requires a lot of attention to detail. It is almost like preparing for your daughter’s wedding. You want everything to be perfect.”
Speaking about the traditional bhog prepared for the occasion, she adds, “I prepare the bhog every year, which usually consists of luchi, khichdi and paanch bhaja. We make begun bhaja, aloo bhaja, kumro bhaja, potol bhaja and bori bhaja, along with aloo-kopi dalna, aloo dum, paneer matar, chutney and payesh, among other things. I also prepare naru (similar to laddoos) at home, some with grated coconut and jaggery and others with sugar. I make sure that the traditional preparations remain a part of the puja.”
Pallaavii has had a long career in the entertainment industry, having worked in over 150 films, 75 television shows, theatre, jatra and musical shows. Having moved to Mumbai three years ago, she has started afresh and begun her journey as an actor from scratch.
