Rupali Ganguly: Ganpati Bappa is my bestie, my sibling, my baby

As Ganeshotsav culminated with visarjan on Friday, actor Rupali Ganguly talks about her bond with bappa

As Ganeshotsav culminated with visarjan on Friday, actor Rupali Ganguly bid an emotional farewell to Bappa, who she says has been a constant in her life. “Main seven years old thi tab se har saal Lalbaugcha Raja jaa rahi hoon. Yeh unhi ki kripa hai ki har saal woh mujhe bulaate hain aur mujhe unke darshan ka mauka milta hai,” she says. Ganguly, 49, says she has not missed the darshan in 42 years, even visiting just 13-14 days after giving birth to her son. “Even when Rudransh was born, I went. I think he was barely around two weeks old. Kehte hain uss waqt sootak hota hai aur mandir nahi jaate, but tab bhi main Raja ke darshan ke liye gayi thi.” She adds, “I delivered on the 25th of August and Ganpati was sometime around early September, so delivery ke around 13-14 din baad main mukh darshan karke aayi thi with my cousin.”

Rupali Ganguly: Ganpati Bappa is my bestie, my sibling, my baby

Ganguly recalls how different the experience was when she was a child. “Bachpan mein itni line bhi nahi hoti thi. We used to go through the macchi market and then go to Raja. Entry bhi alag thi, sab kuch alag tha. Pehle toh hum chhote the tab wahan jaake stage par khelte bhi the.” Today, the crowds have grown, but she says her devotion has remained unchanged. “Aisa kabhi nahi hua ki main Lalbaugcha Raja nahi gayi hoon. Mukh darshan ke liye maine chhe-chhe, aath-aath ghante line lagaayi hai.” She says she would still prefer to be among devotees whenever possible. “Main bhi chahti hoon ki sabki tarah line mein khadi hoke jaaun. Pichli baar maine try bhi kiya tha, but woh ho nahi paaya because koi photo le raha tha, koi idhar se kheench raha tha, koi udhar se.”

The actor also acknowledges the privilege that comes with being a celebrity today. “Kai baar log kehte hain ki celebrities ko privilege milta hai, and yes, privilege hai, main maanti hoon. Mujhe bhi kabhi-kabhi guilt feel hota hai. But unfortunately, there are times when, chahkar bhi, you have to go a little separately.” She adds, “Otherwise, main bhi kayi saalon tak bhakton ki tarah line mein hi gayi hoon. In fact, Anupamaa se pehle main hamesha line mein lagkar hi jaati thi.” For her, the circumstances may have changed, but the relationship has not. “Mera connection nahi badla. For me, that devotion and that bond with Raja has remained the same.”

Ganguly also recalls the changes she has seen in the arrangements at Lalbaugcha Raja. “Pehle VIP entry mein bhi kaafi dhakka-mukki ho jaati thi, but this time they had made a ramp. Us ramp ke through jaane mein thoda extra time lagta hai. I think we stood in that special line for around 22 minutes before mukh darshan, but it was absolutely worth it because there was no dhakka-mukki.” She calls it “a very, very good initiative” and says, “Main toh 1-2 ghante bhi khushi-khushi line mein khadi hone ko taiyaar hoon, as long as koi kheench na raha ho aur dhakka-mukki na ho.”

For Ganguly, her relationship with Bappa goes beyond the annual ritual of darshan. “Ganpati Bappa to me means new beginnings. Shri Ganesh, shubh… unke kitne saare meanings hain,” she says. “Jaise Mahakal Baba ya Shiv Baba ko you see as a father figure, Mata Rani ko you see as a mother figure, Ganpati Bappa is your bestie. I feel like He is my sibling, He is my son, He is my bestie. He is the baby.” She adds, “To me, He is somebody I can talk to, I can chill with and just connect with.”

At home, the celebrations are simple. “Humare ghar ka Ganpati bahut simple hota hai. Mummy ki saree se hi decoration hota hai. Jo 20-25 saal purane kapde ke flowers hum Dadar se laaye the, wohi har saal nikaalte hain, decoration mein use karte hain, phir unhe dhokar carefully rakh dete hain for the next year.” She says the family has never gone in for elaborate decorations. “We don’t do ostentatious decorations. Fancy kuch nahi hota. Mummy ki teen-chaar sarees hain jo Papa laaye the, and in Papa’s memory, hum wahi sarees decoration mein lagaate hain.” Even the dining table has a history. “Humara dining table bhi wahi hai jo Mummy ko unki shaadi mein gift mila tha. Usi dining table par Ganpati Bappa baithte hain.”

The family has also stayed consistent with its choice of idol. “Ganpati Bappa mere Bappa hain. Pichle 37 saal se humare ghar Ganpati aa rahe hain. Bachpan se hum shudh maati ki murti hi laate aaye hain.” Recalling her mother’s insistence on avoiding Plaster of Paris idols, she says, “Aaj eco-friendly Ganpati ki itni baat hoti hai, but uss waqt bhi my mother was very conscientious. Woh kehti thi, ‘POP ki murti nahi laayechi,’ because POP environment ke liye achha nahi hai.” Ganguly adds, “So I’ve grown up learning that. And I think culturally, Indians have always been quite environmentally conscious. Hum kapde dryer mein nahi, dhoop mein sukhaate aaye hain. Kaafi cheezein jo peedhi dar peedhi chali aa rahi hain, they have naturally been environment-friendly. We should try and go back to our roots.”

Her childhood Ganeshotsav meant pandal-hopping with her mother. “Pehle Mummy hum logon ko Lalbaugcha Raja le jaati thi. Uske baad hum Lalbaug ke saare Ganpati ghoomte the. Phir Khetwadi ke saare Ganpati dekhne jaate the. Jahan-jahan Ganpati pandal hota tha, hum jaate the. Kabhi ek din mein 11 pandals karte the, kabhi 21 pandals. That was our Ganpati.” Today, traffic and crowds make extensive pandal-hopping difficult, but she still finds ways to visit neighbourhood pandals. “Aajkal traffic aur gardi ki wajah se utna pandal hopping nahi ho paata. But Lalbaugcha Raja main zaroor jaati hoon. Aur ab main Andheri mein hoon, toh aas-paas ke ek-do pandals mein chup-chaap muh dhak ke chali jaati hoon, darshan karke aa jaati hoon.” She adds, “I love pandal hopping! Durga Puja ho ya Ganpati, I just love it. Going from one pandal to another, seeing the different celebrations and taking darshan has always been something I really enjoy.”

The tradition, she says, will continue. “Main har saal jaati rahungi. Marte dam tak main mere Raja ke darshan karti rahungi,” she says.

Ganpati rapid fire ft. Rupali Ganguly

- Pandal hopping or home darshan?

I love pandal hopping! Durga Puja ho ya Ganpati, I just love it.

- Morning darshan or late-night darshan?

Morning darshan, night darshan, doesn’t matter. Jab darshan mile, main bas pahunch jaaun!

- Your favourite Ganpati song?

I keep singing ‘Ganpati apne gaon chale, kaise humko chain pade.’ That’s one song I’m constantly singing. And then ‘Deva Ho Deva, Ganpati Deva.’

- One thing you associate most with Ganpati?