The city of Kolkata was ablaze with light and color, buzzing with excitement as Durga Pujo approached. Every street corner was adorned with twinkling fairy lights, and the air was filled with the aromas of street food and the rhythm of dhak beats. It was that magical time of the year when Kolkata came alive in a way that was unmatched, and everyone, regardless of age, eagerly looked forward to pandal hopping.
Aarav, a young software engineer in his late twenties, had just moved back to Kolkata after a few years in Bangalore. He had missed the city’s grandest festival, Durga Pujo, terribly. This year, he was determined to make the most of it. Armed with a camera and a backpack filled with essentials, he set out on Ashtami evening, the most auspicious day of the festival, for a night of pandal hopping.
As he made his way through the crowded streets of North Kolkata, Aarav marveled at the creativity and effort behind each pandal. Some were traditional, echoing the grandeur of ancient temples, while others were quirky, like the one shaped like a massive open book with pages that depicted scenes from the Mahabharata. The vibrant crowd, with children on their parents’ shoulders and teenagers clicking selfies, added to the festive chaos.
After a few hours, Aarav found himself in front of one of the most talked-about pandals of the year – the Maddox Square pandal. This one had a reputation for not just its artistic prowess but also for being a major social hub for the city’s youth. The pandal had been designed to look like a giant lotus, with delicate pink petals that glowed softly under the moonlight.
Aarav was captivated by the sight and instinctively raised his camera to capture the moment. As he clicked away, he noticed a girl standing near the entrance, her back to him. She was dressed in a traditional Bengali saree, a vibrant red and white ensemble that seemed to flutter in the night breeze. Her long hair cascaded down her back, and she wore a pair of jhumkas that glinted in the light.
She turned around just as Aarav was lowering his camera, and their eyes met. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. There was something familiar about her, but Aarav couldn’t quite place it. She smiled, a shy, hesitant smile, as if she, too, was trying to recall where she had seen him before.
“Do I know you?” Aarav found himself asking, breaking the silence.
She looked at him more closely, her brow furrowing slightly as if deep in thought. “You look familiar,” she admitted, her voice soft. “But I can’t quite remember where we’ve met.”
They stood there, amidst the sea of people, trying to solve the mystery of their seemingly forgotten connection. After a few moments, realization struck Aarav.
“Ananya?” he asked tentatively.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Aarav? Oh my god, Aarav! From high school?”
They both burst out laughing, the years melting away as they remembered each other from a decade ago. They had been classmates, and although not close friends, they had shared several classes together.
“What a small world,” Ananya exclaimed. “I never thought I’d run into someone from school here!”
“Neither did I,” Aarav replied, still smiling. “It’s been, what, ten years?”
They spent the next hour catching up, sharing stories of what they had been up to since school. Ananya had pursued a career in journalism and had been working with a well-known newspaper in Kolkata. Aarav told her about his stint in Bangalore and how he had recently moved back to Kolkata to be closer to his family.
As they talked, they wandered through the pandal, admiring the idol of Goddess Durga in all her splendor. They shared laughter over their awkward teenage years and the silly pranks their classmates used to play.
Suddenly, the lights in the pandal flickered, and a hush fell over the crowd. The dhakis started playing an intense beat, signaling the start of the dhunuchi dance. Aarav and Ananya watched in awe as dancers clad in traditional attire took to the center, swirling earthen pots filled with burning incense in intricate patterns.
“Do you want to join?” Ananya asked, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Aarav hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Why not?”
They made their way to the dance area, each picking up a dhunuchi. Aarav had never done the dance before, but Ananya seemed to know what she was doing. She moved gracefully, swinging the dhunuchi with practiced ease. Aarav tried to follow her lead, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process.
Ananya laughed at his clumsy attempts, and Aarav couldn’t help but join in. As they danced, the crowd cheered them on, clapping to the rhythm of the dhak. Despite the initial awkwardness, Aarav soon found himself getting into the groove, the music and the energy of the festival taking over.
After the dance, they sat down on the steps of the pandal, panting and laughing. “I can’t believe we just did that,” Aarav said, shaking his head in disbelief.
“I can’t believe you almost set your kurta on fire,” Ananya teased, pointing to a small singe mark on his sleeve. Aarav glanced down and laughed. “I guess I got a little too carried away.”
They both looked up at the idol of Durga, her serene face watching over the crowd. There was a moment of silence as they both reflected on the evening.
“This has been fun,” Ananya said finally, breaking the silence. “I’m glad we ran into each other.”
“Me too,” Aarav agreed. “It’s been a great night.”
As the night wore on, they continued their pandal hopping, moving from one dazzling pandal to another, each one more impressive than the last. They sampled street food – puchkas, ghugni, and rolls – and shared a mishti doi at a roadside stall. It was as if the years they had been apart had never existed, and they were back to being carefree teenagers.
It was past midnight when they found themselves at the final pandal of the night, a quieter one compared to the others. The crowd had thinned out, and the streets were less crowded. They sat down on a bench outside the pandal, the cool night breeze a welcome relief after the hustle and bustle of the evening.
“So, what are you doing tomorrow?” Ananya asked, looking at Aarav.
Aarav shrugged. “No plans yet. Why?”
Ananya hesitated for a moment, then said, “I was thinking… I mean, if you’re not busy, would you like to go pandal hopping again? There are still so many I haven’t seen yet.”
Aarav smiled. “I’d love that.”
They exchanged numbers, promising to meet up the next evening. As they said their goodbyes, Aarav felt a strange sense of excitement. It had been a long time since he had felt this way – carefree, happy, and looking forward to something.
The next evening, they met up as planned and continued their pandal hopping adventure. As they moved through the city, they talked about their dreams, their fears, and everything in between. Aarav found himself opening up to Ananya in a way he hadn’t with anyone in a long time. There was something about her that made him feel comfortable, like he could be himself without any pretenses.
As the days of Durga Pujo came to an end, Aarav realized that this festival had been unlike any other he had experienced before. It wasn’t just about the pandals or the food or the crowds. It was about the unexpected encounter with Ananya and the connection they had rekindled.
On Dashami, the last day of the festival, they stood together on the banks of the Hooghly River, watching as the idol of Durga was immersed in the water, marking the end of the festivities. The sky was painted with hues of orange and pink, and the air was filled with the sound of conch shells and the chanting of mantras.
As the idol disappeared beneath the water, Ananya turned to Aarav, a wistful smile on her face. “I’m going to miss this,” she said softly.
“Me too,” Aarav replied, his voice equally soft. “But we’ll make new memories, right?”
Ananya nodded, her smile growing wider. “Yes, we will.”
As they walked away from the river, Aarav felt a sense of contentment wash over him. Durga Pujo had always been a time of celebration and joy, but this year, it had given him something more – a chance encounter with an old friend, a rekindling of a forgotten connection, and the promise of new beginnings.
And as he looked at Ananya walking beside him, her eyes sparkling with the same excitement he felt, he knew that this was just the beginning of a new chapter in both their lives, one filled with endless possibilities and countless more adventures to come.