Surabhi Das on first durga puja without father: We will remember him everyday

For Surabhi Das’, Durga Puja has been all about homecoming and celebrating together. However, things have changed for her drastically as Das lost her father in November. “Things are not the same anymore and never will be for any of us. We will remember him everyday and I hope he is at peace wherever he is,” says Das as she talks about her father who used to live in Guwahati- Das’ hometown.

Every time she talks about him, Das shares that it “gets emotional” and more so during the festivities. “Memories of all of us celebrating the festival are beautiful yet very painful at times. I miss everything that we used to do together in Durga puja - from visiting pandals to eating jalebis to buying new stuff. As a child, I remember how papa used to live in the Guwahati city while we stayed in our village. So festival would bring us together. We eagerly awaited this time of the year as he would come and take us to buy new clothes. It was like a ritual,” she shares.

Das also recalls going pandal hopping with father from Shashthi to Saptami. “Papa used to take us to nearby pandals on Shashthi and to other pandals on Saptami, because it’s less crowded on that day. Papa’s auto rickshaw used to be our ride for visiting all the pandals with family. Those used to be the more fun days for us. After Saptami, he would usually get very busy with his passengers as he used to drive an auto. From Ashtami to Dashami he would drive till late in the night so that he could earn more,” the Nima Denzongpa actor tells us.

While she misses him and rest of the family back home, Das shares how she won’t be able to go home this year. “I have work commitments and it’s difficult to go there. But I will meet them soon if not during Durag Puja,” she ends