Aindrita Ray, with Bengali roots, has also embraced Karnataka's culture over time. She finds similarities in the celebrations and cuisines, making it easy for her to adapt. Visiting pandals in Bengaluru and Kolkata is a tradition she always upholds. She fondly recalls her childhood days during puja in Bengaluru, where she and her friends felt important serving food to the community. Despite turning vegan, she still enjoys her mom's kheer made with alternative ingredients. Aindrita's attempts at the traditional Bengali dance, Dhunuchi Naach, have not been successful, but she admires the community support for dancers. She highlights how Durga Puja unites communities beyond just Bengalis. However, she misses her childhood friends during this puja season, as many have moved away. The simplicity and innocence of past celebrations with familiar faces have given way to a larger number of pandals with diverse structures and festivities."The ways of celebrating here may not be as grand as in Kolkata, but they do come close," she comments.— With contributions from Karthikeyan Sairam