For actor Vidisha Srivastava Vijayadashmi marks the beginning of Diwali, “Being a typical Banarasi daughter for me it is always Dusshera followed by Diwali,” she says.
The actor adds, “The significance of Dusshera is much more than triumph of good over evil, it’s the soul of Ramayana. For us, it sets the stage for the festivities ahead. Though things have transformed, and we are living in an era where many rituals are said to be alive only in our memories. Thankfully, cities like Varanasi, Ayodhya and Mathura mein humari paramparao ko sambhal ke rakha hain.”
Srivastava recalls the festivities around Vijayada-shami in hometown. “As kids l remember my father used to wake us up very early in the morning to witness the jhanki — a procession that is taken out after Ramleela. I remember the act called Nakkataiya, that depicts the scene from the Ramayana where Lakshmana comes to Ma Sita’s defense and cuts off Surpanakha’s nose and ears, used to be reprised at Chetganj locality. As kids, we sisters used to wait for the festivities to take off and so we could soak in different ceremonies till the effigy of Ravana was burnt down. Ab woh sab kaha ho pata hai due to work and then relocating to Mumbai,” says the actor.
The protagonist of TV daily Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai! adds, “On festivals, I try to take my daughter to her maternal house in Varanasi or paternal side in Kolkata. Like this year in Diwali, I plan to travel to my in-laws’ house and celebrate the festival with them. It’s a short trip but festival ka maza toh gharwalo ke sath hi hai.”