For actor Sonam Bajwa, who is of Punjabi descent and known for her Punjabi films like Carry On Jatta franchise, Gooday Godday Cha (2023), the festival of Gurpurab, celebrated today, holds a special place in her heart. despite never having lived in Punjab.
“I was born in Uttarakhand and raised in UP, my grandparents settled there. I was living between these two states. Every Guru Nanak Jayanti, I have a very clear memory of going to Prabhat Pheris,” she shares.
Recalling her childhood memories of the festival, the 36-years-old says, “I used to be very excited from morning to evening. I used to look forward to having the tasty Kada Prasad, boondi, laddoos. My school had a special holiday that day but we still used to go to celebrate Guru Nanak Jayanti and even offered special prayers. We would roam around the entire day. I was always so thrilled about the festivities.”
She adds, “My mother is an amritdhari, she still does sewa and I grew up in that culture. I don’t have a clear memory of doing sewa myself though.”
One of the favorite memories, Sonam reveals, is savouring the langar .”I used to love the very famous kaali daal.and phulka. Even if you make it at home with the same ingredients, it never tastes the same.”
However, for Sonam, who is often busy with shoots now, the festival doesn’t feel quite the same anymore. She admits, “FestivaIs would definitely be different if my parents were here. This year, I will be shooting on Gurpurab in Punjab. As an actor, working on festivals, New Years, and even birthdays, has become a norm over the last few years.”
This year, Sonam forayed into Hindi film industry and was seen in films like Baaghi 4, Housefull 5, and Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat.
