“I miss playing Dandiya,” admits Pooja Hegde as she holds the decorated sticks to pose for the Bombay Times lens. As the festive spirit of Navratri reigns supreme, Pooja Hegde, dressed in a gorgeous fuchsia pink lehenga, danced her way through our fun shoot and reveled in the joy of the occasion. The following excerpts from the interview…
Pooja Hegde was born in the lanes of Bandra, Mumbai and his formative years were immersed in the essence of Navratri. “Navratri is really big in my house,” says Pooja, her eyes sparkling with excitement, adding, “We end up celebrating for a whole week and the ninth day is grand with a big havan in the house. We do Bhajans in our house. and food is mandatory at nine days and as children I remember going to fetch Dandiya and Garba.’
View this post on Instagram
Pooja Hegde is palpable as she recalls her childhood Navratri. “I haven’t been in one for a while. I was one of those who went there just for fun. And people take Dandiya and Garba quite seriously. Of course, when you look at it, it looks great. I’ve been working on the last few Navratris, so I couldn’t even watch it,” she recalls.
While Pooja Hegde may have grown up, the traditions in the house are still the same. “Nothing much has changed. That’s how tradition is made. It doesn’t happen again. It goes on like this every year and nothing has changed.” However, this year’s shooting schedule keeps her busy but she is determined to return home for Dussehra. “It became a thing. You have to make time no matter what your schedule is because those are the important things,” she adds.
View this post on Instagram
The Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan actress adds about Dussehra, which is on October 12, “For Dussehra, we have an entire banana leaf lunch. My mom cooks 19 different vegetables, vegetables cannot be repeated. She cooks it herself. It’s like the best meal and we look forward to it every year.”
As he returns to celebrate Navratri with his team, he shares, “The color of my entire team matches the colors of Navratri. We take pictures without a break. So how will our day change? So that’s why we then color coordinate and say, ‘Oh, tomorrow is a yellow day.’ This is how we soak up the energy and atmosphere of Navratri.”
Pooja Hegde is strongly identified with the essence of Navratri, a festival that symbolizes the conquest of evil and the celebration of womanhood. “Navratri celebrates the different shades of the Devi within us,” she says, “it’s also important to remember it for more than just nine days. One has to deal with them for the rest of the year.” Pooja credits her parents for instilling in her the value of doing good deeds.
View this post on Instagram
“I believe in good karma. That’s how I lead my life. I don’t do anything that makes me uncomfortable. There are certain things that you draw the line at, and you consciously go to do the right thing. So it’s always very gratifying. I always believe that karma will come back to you, whatever it is – good or bad, it will come back many times over.”
Related – Kareena Kapoor Khan Sets the Latest Fashion Trend: Sari Paired with a Corset
