Television actress Sonalika Joshi, best known for playing Madhavi Bhide in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, opened up about her cherished traditions and memories surrounding Gudi Padwa in an exclusive conversation with mid-day. The actress shared how the festival holds deep cultural and emotional significance for her, both at home and on set.
On celebrating the festival at home
Calling it an important ritual, Sonalika said, “Gudi Padwa is a proper ritual at home. So we have a whole procedure at home. We call it Guddi Ubharna. We make it stand. So the ritual is done here. They get it ready. So it`s a complete technical. And here in Guddi Padwa, there is no fun level. Here you just do the puja. You go and get ready wearing a sari. And you do the puja.”
Grand celebration on TMKOC sets
While celebrations at home are more traditional and focused on rituals, the atmosphere on the sets of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is far more festive and lively. Recalling those moments, she said, “And if we do a song of Gudi Padwa here, so definitely we have a lot of fun. Because for two years, I think on Gudi Padwa day, all of us together, with flags in our hands, we have made a song. So they made those mind-blowing songs.”
She further painted a vibrant picture of the on-set celebrations, adding, “Then the whole society comes together. Everyone is wearing a feta. Ladies are wearing Nawari. So all of them look very cute. Everyone looks beautiful in Nawari. So all of them come together and celebrate. It`s a lot of fun. But it doesn`t happen every year. But this year, we enjoy it a lot.”
Speaking about preparations at home, Sonalika highlighted how simple and effortless the festival is compared to others. “But we don`t have a lot of preparation. If you bring the preparation the next day, because everything is ready. For example, you have to put a thumbnail on a Sikh. Then if you bring the other things from the market the next day, because the flowers should be fresh. You have to get ready-made Bata Sikhi stuff the next day.”
She concluded by comparing it with bigger festivals, saying, “So as such, the festival is very big for us. Its symbol is very big for us. But its preparation is so small. Anyone can do it. It gets ready easily. We prepare for Diwali as much as we do for Diwali. We prepare for Diwali for a month. Even when Ganesh comes home, we have to prepare a lot. So the preparation for Gudi Padwa is not that much. It gets ready a day before.”
