A Kolkata-based techie who wrote a song about wanting to spend Ashtami with his girlfriend during his Metro rides to work in 2025 could hardly have imagined it would become one of the most popular Durga Puja tracks of 2026.

To advertise here,

‘Dugga Ma Asche’, sung by Rahit Saha, had emerged as a festive-season favourite, with its popularity surging on social media ahead of this year's Durga Puja.

Saha, a resident of Dum Dum who goes by the name Infra on YouTube and social media platforms, wrote most of the song's lyrics while travelling to work.

What began as a personal expression of his wish to spend Ashtami with his girlfriend eventually struck a chord with a much wider audience, turning the track into what many consider the Puja anthem of 2026.

The song was first uploaded as an audio clip on YouTube in 2025. However, it gained significant traction only ahead of the 2026 festive season, as users began incorporating it into reels and short videos across Meta platforms.

‘It was used in more than 3 million reels and short videos on Meta platforms this Puja. That kind of virality is not something you can prepare for,’ Saha said.

The song's popularity also brought attention to the people who helped shape it. Besides Saha, Jakiruddin Khan and Arnab Chowdhury fine-tuned the track before its release.

Copyright dispute puts viral hit in trouble

Amid the song's growing popularity, a copyright infringement case led to ‘Dugga Ma Asche’ being taken down from Spotify ahead of Mahalaya.

The development came at a crucial time, as listeners began to embrace the song as part of the festive season.

For Saha, the removal was a source of considerable anxiety. Recalling the ordeal, he described running between work and the police station as he tried to deal with the situation.

‘I would run from work to the police station. After two-three days, the song was back on Spotify. It was a relief,’ he said.

The track's return to the streaming platform brought relief after days of uncertainty, letting listeners access the song again during the festive period.

From Metro rides to millions of reels

‘Dugga Ma Asche’'s journey reflects how a song created in ordinary circumstances can find an unexpectedly large audience through social media. Written during daily commutes, the track initially existed as an audio clip before gaining momentum months later.

Its appeal appears to have extended beyond its original personal inspiration. What began as a song about wanting to spend a special Durga Puja day with a loved one gradually became a soundtrack for thousands of social media users' celebrations.

The song's use in more than three million reels and short videos on Meta platforms underscores its reach.

Its rise also highlights how short-form video platforms help regional music reach audiences far beyond its initial circle of listeners.

For Saha, turning a song written during his daily commute into a viral festive hit was an unexpected turn of events.

However, the copyright dispute reminded everyone that online popularity can also bring complications, even as a creator's work reaches a much wider audience.

From a personal wish scribbled into lyrics to a song embraced by Puja revelers, ‘Dugga Ma Asche’ has had an unusual journey.

Its story is as much about the unpredictability of viral fame as it is about music's power to become part of a city's festive identity.