Kolkata Couple’s Pandal-Hopping Reel On ‘Real Happiness’ Wins Hearts Online

Kolkata: What defines success in life? A 20-second selfie video—capturing a simple pandal-hopping moment from a middle-aged couple’s life—that has gone viral on the internet apparently holds the answer, opine netizens.The video, which is winning hearts on the internet, shows the couple and their son smiling into a phone camera as they ride through the streets in the city on a hand-pulled rickshaw with lights dazzling in the backdrop.The video, featuring Abhishek Mukherjee, an employee of CESC Ltd, and his family has even drawn praise from his employer, Sanjiv Goenka, the chairman of RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group.Their spontaneous smiles and cheerful singalong have struck a chord with viewers, prompting conversations about happiness, family and the tendency to equate success with material wealth. Educator Amit Kilhor shared the video on X on Thursday, describing it as an example of what winning at life looks like.Calling it “Exemplar A” of how to define success, Kilhor wrote that it “should collectively be declared as the best video on Twitter for 2026”. Goenka identified Mukherjee as an employee of the group’s flagship power utility. “Some moments have a way of bringing a smile to everyone’s face,” Goenka wrote. He added, “It is heartening to see RPSGian Abhishek Mukherjee from @CESCLimited and his family capturing the joy of Pujo so naturally and winning hearts along the way.”TOI spoke to senior officials of CESC to connect with Mukherjee but he couldn’t be connected till late on Thursday. The video also triggered a wider conversation about wealth and contentment. The account peek_humour joked that Elon Musk “is still the second richest guy in the world”, suggesting that happiness cannot be measured by a bank balance.User Ritika viewed the clip as an illustration of Bengali men sharing household responsibilities and appreciating their wives’ efforts, sparking a debate about gender roles.Another user, Mishhteeee, cautioned against interpreting the family’s rickshaw ride as a sign of poverty. Pointing to Durga Puja traffic restrictions, she said a rickshaw was a practical way to get around and urged people to stop “overanalysis” of what she called “pure, wholesome family joy”.Amid Kolkata’s elaborate pandals and spectacular illuminations, the family’s simple outing offered a reminder that the festival’s happiest moments need neither grandeur nor extravagance — just the joy of being together.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in KolkataStay updated with the latest Kolkata news. Download the TOI App.