Even in Maa Kali’s fiercest form lies deep compassion : Monami Ghosh

Monami Ghosh’s festive spirit is rooted in tradition, devotion, and family warmth. From the glow of diyas during Kali Puja to the joy of buying jewellery for her mother’s birthday on Dhanteras, she celebrates festivals with love, rituals, and timeless saris.

For her, Diwali and Kali Puja are not about grandeur, but about light, gratitude, and the enduring magic of togetherness. The actress, whose recent music video Kalki went viral, talks about her Kali Puja memories, how she likes to celebrate it now, and more. Festivals like Kali Puja are not just about rituals but about cleansing your heart, inviting light and gratitude and celebrating goodness: MonamiPuja rituals connect me to my roots: Monami‘Maa kali is the embodiment of ultimate feminine energy’For Monami, Maa Kali embodies the ultimate feminine energy – fierce, protective and deeply transformative. “Even in her fiercest form lies deep compassion, and that is what attracts me,” she says. The Belashuru actress cherishes the family rituals passed down through generations. “In my own house now, I perform Lakshmi Puja to keep our family tradition alive. Every year, I decorate my home with diyas and flowers, and dhuno is an essential part of our barir pujo,” she says. Monami’s family also follows the custom of lighting 14 lamps on the evening before Kali Puja.

“It fills the house with a divine glow and brings so much peace. These small rituals connect you to your roots and remind you where you come from,” she smiles.‘The festival of lights is more about cleansing one’s mind’Diwali and Kali Puja are more about celebrations of light, gratitude and inner peace, than parties for Monami. “I don’t treat Diwali or Kali Puja like as an opportunity to celebrate. For me, it’s more like a puja – a spiritual celebration,” she says.

“The festival is about cleansing the mind and space, welcoming light into your life, and being grateful for all that you have.” This year, she has designed a red tissue sari for Maa Lakshmi.

“The bhog is always cooked by my mother, though I help her make narkel er naru,” she smiles. “At my house, it’s not rangoli but alpona done by me, adorned with flowers and diyas for that festive feel. I am a little old school in my thoughts,” she adds.

‘There is something timeless about traditional attire’Festivals for Monami are perfect to wear saris. “There is something timeless about traditional attire. It lifts my mood and makes me feel connected to the occasion,” she says. For the CT shoot, she chose pink, her lucky colour. “I love to wear jewellery too, especially silver, as it adds an extra dimension to the look,” she adds. She also follows a family tradition of buying gold statement jewellery for her mother’s birthday on Dhanteras.

“I cannot reveal what I’ve bought for her this year, as ma will read the interview and find out,” she laughs.

Both Durga Puja and Kali Puja are reminders that no matter how dark things get, goodness always wins : Monami Ghosh‘Kali Puja is when my heart feels most at home’For Monami, Kali Puja is more than just a festival; it is pure emotion. “More than Diwali, Kali Puja has always been close to my heart,” she smiles, recalling how worshipping Maa Lakshmi on this day is an age-old family tradition.

“We used to live in a big joint family with about 25 to 30 people under one roof. The house would be filled with laughter, food, adda and togetherness during this time” she reminisces. “I still remember after the puja, all of us cousins would burst crackers, especially tubri,” she laughs.

For her, Kali Puja and Diwali are about “family bonding and that feeling of warmth when everyone is together,” far beyond the lights and sweets.Maa Kali represents both creation and destruction, symbolising the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth : Monami

For me, Kali Puja or Diwali is not just about lights and sweets but about family bonding and that feeling of warmth when everyone is together : Monami Pix: Sayantan Dutta;Makeup: Sunetra Paul;Hair: Soma Saha; Jewellery by: Nnoni; Location courtesy: Milan Das; Outfit and styled by: Sandip Jaiswal