Mumbai, October 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Actress Lisa Ray has reflected on her deep connection with her Bengali roots, sharing how celebrating Durga Puja in different cities around the world has helped her stay connected to her culture and traditions.
Taking to Instagram, Lisa shared a heartfelt note about celebrating the festival in Goa this year. She also recalled growing up celebrating Durga Puja in Toronto and later experiencing the same festive spirit in places such as Hong Kong and Dubai.
“The sound of the dhak. That unmistakable rhythm that reaches somewhere deeper than memory. And just like that, Ma is here. So happy to celebrate Shashthi, Bodhon and Adhibas in Goa this year. A little piece of Bengal in my adopted home. I grew up celebrating Durga Pujo in Toronto, and over the years I’ve found Ma in Hong Kong, Dubai and wherever life has carried me. Different cities, different communities, but the same familiar stirring of the heart,” she wrote.
The actress also reflected on the deeper meaning of the festival in her life, explaining that Durga Puja goes beyond religious rituals and represents a sense of belonging and the collective joy of a community coming together.
“For me, Pujo has never been only about ritual. It’s about belonging. The fragrance of dhuno, the beat of the dhak, the rustle of a lal paar saree, the collective joy of a community coming together to welcome the Divine Mother,” she added.
Lisa further spoke about how the festival has remained an integral part of her identity despite living in different parts of the world. She also reflected on the significance of Goddess Durga as a symbol of strength, tenderness, protection and home.
“Perhaps it’s also about the Bengali part of me that refuses to be diluted by distance,” she wrote.
The Four More Shots Please! actress also spoke about passing on the same reverence for the goddess to her daughters.
“And now, raising my own girls with that same reverence for Devi, I feel the thread of inheritance stretching across generations and geographies. I’ve lived in many places. But wherever the dhak sounds, something in me comes home,” she concluded.
Durga Puja is one of the most significant festivals in Bengali culture, celebrating Goddess Durga and her victory over evil. The festivities feature prayers, cultural performances, traditional attire and community gatherings across India and among Bengali communities worldwide.
Born in Toronto, Canada, Lisa grew up in the city’s Etobicoke suburb. She comes from a mixed cultural background, with a Bengali Hindu father of Indian origin and a Polish Catholic mother. During her childhood, she also spent time in Kolkata, where she stayed with her extended family.
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