Sonnalli Seygall on 1st Ganpati after wedding: We did the aarti together

For Sonnalli Seygall, Ganeshotsav this year was extra special, as it was her first after her wedding with Ashesh L Sajnani. Welcoming Bappa, the actor reveals that she added a Sindhi and Punjabi touch to the merriment at her home.

“I have been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi with Ashish for the past six or seven years. However, this year was extra special because I was officially doing all the rituals with him. It was very nice and beautiful,” Seygall tells us, and shares, “Though for the last three years, it felt like we were married, but we never did aarti together. So, this year was the first time we did aarti together, and also performed visarjan together.”

Giving a peak into her celebrations, Seygall says that there were shades of blended cultures at their house. “We both are big believers of Lord Ganesha, and are in sync with the thoughts. They (Ashesh’s side) do Marathi chants at home as most of his staff is from Maharashtra, and I do Hindi chants because I am not fluent in Marathi,” says the actor, who did all the arrangements on her from food to decor.

“This time, I also decided to give prasad in return, and made it at home only. Besides, I added a personal touch to the food… there was a dish each from Sindhi and Punjabi cuisine,” adds the 34-year-old.

For Seygall, the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is all about creating memories. “I find festivals as a beautiful opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones, and to strengthen our bonds. And Ganeshotsav is one of them, and the most special one. The first day was hectic, and once everyone left, we were sitting together and discussing how it went and what all happened. These are little moments and memories I look forward to,” she says, recalling the time when she would be celebrating the festival before marriage.

“I still remember the excitement of bringing Bappa home. Before our marriage, I used to come a day in advance to see that all the prep is in place at Ashesh’s house. This year, I was already here, so I overlooked everything from scratch. These are my precious little memories that will stay with me forever,” she ends.