The Pujo We Miss

Pujo came and went. And if you really look at it closely, I felt that it was just a remembrance of a thing past. I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing.

I missed Pujo because I missed my days in Calcutta. The anticipation, the addas, the planned outings, the unplanned outings, the food, the booze sessions... Most of all the anticipation.

The anticipation of good times imminent. The anticipation that those four days (okay five) are ours and not someone else's and there could be no bargaining about that. The gentle intoxication of being able to irresponsible without accounting for it.

These days we are responsible, practical, realistic too perhaps. So we think visiting Kolkata (not Calcutta) during the Pujas is a bum deal if you look at it. I mean the crowds, the nihilistic madness, the...you know what I mean.

So we still enjoy the Anticipation, but most importantly, we hardly miss the end of Pujas. Yes, my friends. That's what's different now. I hardly miss the passing of the Pujas. I don't get sad anymore that Puja is over. No more picking up the pieces of life and starting the wait for another 360 days. So it's like "Hey, I missed the Pujas, but can you pass the salt, please?"

And that’s it. We don’t miss the Pujo. We just miss our past. Why? Ask yourself. The answers may scare you.