The immensely popular Jodi from ‘Happu Ki Ultan Paltan’, Yogesh Tripathi, and Kamna Pathak visited Varanasi to enjoy the local festive fervour of Dev Deepawali, explore several ghats, enjoy boat rides at the banks of the Ganga river, gorge on finger-licking street food, and shop at the city’s famous stores.
Kamna Pathak describes her excitement at visiting Kashi for the first time and exploring the city during the grand festival of Dev Deepawali.
How was your experience visiting Varanasi during Dev Deepawali?
I am delighted we got this opportunity to visit the city during the Dev Deepawali celebrations. The entire Kashi was decorated with lights, and there was so much excitement among the people. I had heard so much about the Dev Deepawali celebration and seen several videos on social media but never had the opportunity to see it live. Catching glimpses of it from afar was such a surreal experience. It was my first visit, and I was mesmerised by the spectacular views of so many diyas lighting up at the ghats, making for a breathtaking view. Assi Ghat was a visual delight. In fact, all the ghats looked spectacular. We had an amazing boat ride. I was in awe of the place's beauty and the celebration's magnitude. It is one experience that I will always cherish and remember for a long time.
What was the reason for your visit to Varanasi currently?
Our show, ‘Happu Ki Ultan Paltan’, with its funny potbellied Happu Singh, his Dabangg Dulhaniya, Rajjo, and their incredible comic timing and fun banters with Kanpuria quirks and dialect, has struck a chord with the audience, making it one of their most favourite shows. So, this year, to give an extra dose of laughter and witness the city’s festive fervour, we decided to visit Kashi to meet and interact with our audience.
Tell us more about your show and your character.
‘Happu Ki Ultan Paltan’ is a ‘Gharelu Comedy’ that narrates the escapades of Daroga Happu Singh, his ‘Dabangg Dulhaniya’ Rajesh (Kamna Pathak), an obstinate mother, Katori Amma (Himani Shivpuri), and his nine notorious children. My character Rajesh has a strong personality and confidently expresses her opinions. She always speaks her mind and does not take things lying down. No one can mess with her. Her Bundelkhand accent, nok-jhok with her mother-in-law, and the fact that she is the mother of nine notorious children have the audience in splits.
What do you look forward to most when travelling to a new place?
I enjoy local shopping and purchasing items for myself and my loved ones. I am a huge fan of Indian sarees, and whenever I travel, I make it a point to buy at least one saree from that city. I have a huge saree collection, but owning an authentic Banarasi saree was always on my wish list and is now fulfilled. I was surprised by the shop's selection of sarees, traditional dresses, and jewellery. It was so difficult to select one. I bought a couple of them. I love the collections here and want to spend the entire day shopping.
Did you visit Kashi Vishwanath?
Our visit would have been incomplete without visiting the world-famous Kashi Vishwanath temple. We sought Lord Shiva's blessings. As I viewed the temple, I was awestruck by its beauty and felt the presence of the almighty at that very moment. There’s much to see and explore in Varanasi, from the ghats to palaces, and all this sightseeing goes hand-in-hand with an early morning boat ride. Varanasi is a paradise for vegetarians with its pocket-friendly, flavourful street food, especially Kachori-sabzi, jalebi, golgappe, and thandai are must-try dishes. I am so delighted that we got this opportunity to visit Kashi. People on the streets instantly recognised us and greeted us. I was so overwhelmed by their love and affection. It is one experience that I will always cherish and remember for a long time.
