Durga Puja leaves behind good memories for everyone in West Bengal and this year puja became all the more special for Sudip Ghoshal and Pritama Banerjee who became friends on social media about three months ago. During Durga Puja 2019, Sudip from Hind Motor and Pritama from Seoraphuli met for the first time at the Santosh Mitra Durga Puja pandal on the evening of Ashtami. Their meeting wasn't planned but both bumped into each other when they were pandal hopping with friends.
Sudip, who works for an international optic lens brand, went down on his knees and proposed Pritama. The sight caught attention of hundreds of pandal hoppers who began to cheer and lauded Sudip's gesture. Within four hours, the two got married in a Durga Puja pandal in Hind Motor.
The couple met through Facebook on July 25 and both shared special feelings but did not get the opportunity to meet since then.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, the 35-year-old newly married groom, Sudip, revealed that they were never able to meet in person before October 6 due to their conflicting work schedules and that they did not even know they would meet on that fateful night. Sudip went on to add that he does not know whether their meeting was pure coincidence or divine intervention.
Turns out, on the Ashtami, Sudip got to know that Pritama was in Kolkata for pandal hopping with her friends, he asked her to meet him. Pritama happened to be in the same pandal, where he had reached with his friends in the evening. The youngsters met and the ambience was such that Sudip could not stop himself from popping the question to her, a report by The Times of India quoted Sudip saying.
Sudip said before October 6, both of them had seen each other only during video calls.
Sudip further revealed to HT that following his very public proposal, they decided to return to Hind Motor where she rode pillion on his motorcycle while her friends followed them in a car. On the way, they decided to get married right away.
“All Pritama wanted was ‘sindoor’ (vermilion) on her forehead. I had no issues because I don’t really believe in rituals,” Sudip added.
Pritama, who runs a boutique in Sheorafuli, said she was struck by Sudip’s innocence, simplicity and sincerity and became overwhelmed. According to Pritama, for her it was love at first sight as well and she had no hesitation in accepting his proposal.
Sudip and Pritama exchanged garlands at the Durga Puja pandal in Hind Motor around midnight. Dhaks were playing in the background as the two got exchanged garlands.
Pritama revealed she has deep faith in the ten-armed Goddess and thus, getting hitched before her in a marquee, sans ritual was enough for them. The couple, however, is planning a social marriage, reports stated.
Pritama said her parents are conservative but have accepted the marriage.
As for the mother-in-law, Alpana Ghoshal added that they were trying to convince Sudip to marry, but he chose his bride. She added that she is "very happy" with her daughter-in-law.