Lisa Ray on celebrating Durga Puja across the world and her Bengali roots
Synopsis
Lisa Ray's Instagram note on Durga Puja is more than a festive post — it is a meditation on diaspora identity, cultural inheritance, and what it means to carry a homeland inside you across continents. From a Toronto childhood to Goa this year, she shows how a festival can be both a place and a feeling.
Key Takeaways
Lisa Ray celebrated Shashthi, Bodhon, and Adhibas in Goa in 2026 , describing it as 'a little piece of Bengal' in her adopted home.
She grew up observing Durga Puja in Toronto and has since marked the festival in Hong Kong and Dubai as well.
Ray was born in Toronto to a Bengali Hindu father and a Polish Catholic mother, and spent time in Kolkata with extended family during her childhood.
She described Durga Puja as being 'about belonging' rather than ritual alone, citing the dhak, dhuno, and the lal paar saree as anchors of memory.
The 'Four More Shots Please' actress said she is raising her daughters with 'the same reverence for Devi', passing the tradition across generations.
Actress Lisa Ray has opened up about her enduring bond with her Bengali heritage, sharing how observing Durga Puja in cities across the globe — from Toronto to Hong Kong, Dubai, and now Goa — has kept her cultural identity alive across decades and geographies.
A Heartfelt Note on Instagram
Taking to Instagram, Ray posted a reflective message about celebrating the festival's opening rituals — Shashthi, Bodhon, and Adhibas — in Goa this year. In her words, the experience brought 'a little piece of Bengal' into her adopted home.
'The sound of the dhak. That unmistakable rhythm that reaches somewhere deeper than memory. And just like that, Ma is here,' she wrote. '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.'
Beyond Ritual: A Sense of Belonging
For Ray, Durga Puja transcends religious observance. She described the festival as a gathering force — one that unites communities through shared memory, fragrance, sound, and emotion.
'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 wrote.
This perspective, she explained, is rooted in her identity as a person of mixed heritage. Born in Toronto, Canada, Ray comes from a Bengali Hindu father of Indian origin and a Polish Catholic mother — a duality she has long navigated in her public and personal life.
Bengali Identity Across Distance
Ray also reflected on how her Bengali identity has resisted dilution despite years of living abroad. 'Perhaps it's also about the Bengali part of me that refuses to be diluted by distance,' she noted, adding that from a young age she understood Goddess Durga to represent 'strength, tenderness, protection and home.'
She spent portions of her childhood in Kolkata, staying with extended family, which she credits with deepening her connection to Bengali customs and the Puja tradition specifically.
Passing the Thread to the Next Generation
The 'Four More Shots Please' actress closed her note with a forward-looking sentiment about raising her daughters with the same reverence for the festival. '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 wrote.
Durga Puja is among the most significant festivals in Bengali culture, commemorating Goddess Durga's victory over evil. Marked by prayers, cultural performances, traditional dress, and communal gatherings, the festival is observed not only across India but also by Bengali diaspora communities worldwide. This year's celebration comes as Puja festivities span multiple cities globally, underscoring the festival's reach well beyond its West Bengal heartland.
Point of View
Durga Puja functions as a portable homeland. Ray's mixed heritage — Bengali and Polish — also adds a layer that mainstream coverage tends to flatten; her relationship with the festival is an act of active cultural choice, not passive inheritance. That distinction matters when the festival is increasingly framed as a spectacle rather than a lived tradition.
NationPress
18 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Lisa Ray talking about Durga Puja?
Lisa Ray shared an Instagram post reflecting on her Bengali heritage and her lifelong tradition of celebrating Durga Puja across multiple cities, including Toronto, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Goa. The post coincided with the 2026 Durga Puja celebrations, specifically the Shashthi, Bodhon, and Adhibas rituals.
Where did Lisa Ray celebrate Durga Puja in 2026?
In 2026, Lisa Ray celebrated Durga Puja in Goa, which she called 'a little piece of Bengal' in her adopted home. Over the years she has also observed the festival in Toronto (where she grew up), Hong Kong, and Dubai.
What is Lisa Ray's Bengali background?
Lisa Ray was born in Toronto, Canada, and has a Bengali Hindu father of Indian origin and a Polish Catholic mother. She spent part of her childhood in Kolkata with extended family, which deepened her connection to Bengali culture and the Durga Puja tradition.
What does Durga Puja mean to Lisa Ray?
According to her Instagram post, Durga Puja represents belonging rather than ritual alone for Ray. She described the dhak, dhuno, and the lal paar saree as sensory anchors, and spoke of the goddess as a symbol of 'strength, tenderness, protection and home.' She is also passing this reverence on to her daughters.
What is Durga Puja and why is it significant?
Durga Puja is one of the most important festivals in Bengali culture, celebrating Goddess Durga's victory over evil. It is marked by prayers, cultural performances, traditional attire, and community gatherings across India and in Bengali diaspora communities worldwide.
