Sunday, October 02, 2005

Why I dont miss Pujo

This is that time of the year. Whenever I have a conversation with anyone from back in Kolkata - they would inevitably ask whether I miss pujo and then without paying any attention to what I say - mumble some sympathetic words.

Let me get this clear for once and all.Ladies and Gentlemen - I do not miss pujo.Yes - I repeat - I do not. And now having made it amply clear - let me explain why.

I am an atheist. Now I know pujo is more of a social occasion than religious - so me not believing in the powers of the Goddess is not the issue here. You miss something only when you actually realize other people are enjoying it while you cant. Being 10,000 miles away from Kolkata - immersed in work - chasing deadlines - you never realize its pujo. Pujo is not only four days of pandel hopping - its the expectation from months back, the shopping, the preparation. The overall ambiance makes pujo what it is. That whole ambiance is absent here - nothing around me tells me its pujo - so pujo days pass like oh so normal days for me.

Ignorance is indeed a bliss sometime.

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