"This puja brings everyone together...": Prosenjit Chatterjee offers prayers at Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 11 (ANI): Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee offered prayers at Hazra Park Durgotsab Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on the occasion of Navratri.

For the auspicious occasion, he wore a blue kurta.

In a conversation with ANI, he talked about the importance of the festival in Kolkata and how special it is for the people. "Durga puja is very special for us. This puja will end after four days. There is a committee for every puja. They start working for the next puja. So, this is a whole year's creation and lakhs and lakhs of people come not only from Bengal but also from foreign countries to see this Durga Puja. And whoever you meet, wherever you are in India, you will be able to see the Durga Puja there."He added that the festivity unites everyone.

"This puja brings everyone together in one place. We are so busy with our work all year round. Whenever this puja takes place, whether it is at home, at the pandal or anywhere else, all the people from our colony, neighbours, and everyone come together. This is the power of the Maa and She brings everyone together," he added.

The Hindu festival of Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is a yearly celebration that honours the Hindu goddess Durga and commemorates her victory over Mahishasur.

Hindu mythology holds that the goddess comes to her earthly abode at this time to bless her devotees. The significance of Durga Puja goes beyond religion and is revered as the celebration of compassion, brotherhood, humanity, art and culture.

From the reverberation of 'dhaak' and new clothes to delicious food, there remains a merry mood during these days. In other parts of the country, during the nine-day Navratri festival, devotees worship Maa Durga's nine incarnations in order to obtain her blessings. There is a goddess manifestation linked with each day of Navratri.

During the nine days, people observe ritualistic fasts, recite shlokas dedicated to each goddess, wear new clothing, offer bhog, and clean their homes. In their prayers, they ask the goddess for her favour in order to have prosperous, joyous and fulfilled lives.

Meanwhile, Prosenjit is mostly known for his work in Bengali films. He is the son of famous Bollywood actor Biswajit Chatterjee. Prosenjit began his acting career as a child actor in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's 'Chotto Jigyasa,' for which he received the Bengal Film Journalists' Association - Most Outstanding Work of the Year Award. Following that, he appeared in numerous films as a child actor.

He made his Bollywood debut in David Dhawan's 'Aandhiyan.' Apart from a string of other films, he began creating middle-of-the-road cinema with 'Chokher Bali,' which starred Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in her maiden Bengali film and was a critical and economic hit upon release.

He worked with Rituparno Ghosh on Dosar, for which he got the Best Actor Award and the National Film Award - Special Jury Award/Special Mention (Feature Film).

Prosenjit worked with Ghosh again in 2009 for Shob Charitro Kalponik, which starred Bipasha Basu on her Bengali debut and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali. (ANI)