A film Seeta and Geeta had just released and my two friends Gitanjali, Seema and I had our Puja clothes modeled exactly on the lines of the ones worn by Hema Malini in it! Then dressed in all our finery including a touch of lipstick we went out on our own to roam the Pujo pandals in nearby areas like Silpukhuri, Chandmari, etc. The best part was although we were just becoming conscious of our feminity, a lot of a child still remained inside us. Bhaona and Ram Leela’s performances were still our favorite Puja attraction.
Although a late-night song recital by our heartthrob Jayanta Hazarika was something we could give anything for.
All three of us gathered Shefali(shewali) flowers early morning and made garlands for the images in our local Pujo. The volunteers there were irritated by the increasing number of garlands by students coming only for Maa Saraswati, all insisting that it should adorn her slender neck only. You see, the annual exams in school came after the Pujo holidays and appeasement of Goddess Saraswati was very necessary.
For the first time in my life, I realized that the male species had just started noticing my friends and me. And, soon after my prayers to God changed dramatically as it included a boon for beauty, making so and so( my current object of interest in the male species then) notice me and an annoying pimple disappear all of them with equal fervor. Academics still ruled although certain other distractions were beginning to enter my young life.
(The article is solely the opinion of the author. The views expressed here are solely personal and not in any way connected to any organisation or any political party ).
