Where festivals go, the Durga Puja of Kolkata is legendary. The 10-day long event assumes carnival-like proportions, whipping the city into jubilance and brilliance. Grandiose Pandals, delicious food, traditional outfits and Goddess worship…come together in sensory overload unlike any other. The hangover of the excitement stays for days after.

1. Drama

Theme park meets Latino fiesta as fanciful art illuminations transform Kolkata into a fairyland. Families dressed in finery flock flow along with high-octane action from one Puja Pandal to the other, seeking the blessings from exquisite idols of Maa Durga. Artisans work round the clock to craft thousands of big and small Pandals, making it the most fantastic street-art festival on the planet. Each Pandal is a work of art in itself, where the sky is the limit for designers. These temporary structures made of cloth, plywood and bamboo can have far-out themes such as environment, social issues, technology, and outer space. It could be a gallery showcasing local crafts like Dhokra and Pattachitra. It could be a replica of a gigantic palace or temple. The only rule is…bigger, the better. Majestic, innovative, inspiring or outlandish…the list is endless. One of the most expensive Pandals of 2019, costing a whopping 18 crores, had a 10-feet Durga idol plated with gold! Picking favourites is futile.

2. Delight

Food is an integral part of the festivities. Copious amounts of street food at makeshift eateries will keep your senses engaged till you can gorge no more. Relishing the Puja Bhog made of rice, pulses, spices, and mixed vegetables is almost a mandate. Experiment with inventive variations of Kolkata classics like rolls and momos. Hog spicy chaat like Puchka and Muri. Musical programs live shows, theatre performances, quiz competitions, fashion parades, cooking competitions…there’s never a dull moment.

3. Devotion

Look beyond the frenzy and embrace the traditions in Kumartuli (potters’ neighbourhood), located 30 minutes away from the city. Witness idol makers creating images of Goddess Durga from Gangetic clay, papier mache, bamboo splints, fabrics, cardboard, glass, ceramics, even beads. Don’t miss the auspicious ritual called Chokkhu Daan during Mahalaya (a week before Durga Puja) when eyes are painted onto the statues. Participate in a two-centuries-old Pujas in an aristocratic family mansion like Shobhabazar’s Rajbari and Rani Rashmoni’s residence near Esplanade. Be intoxicated by drum beats, swaying dancers and camphor smoke of the devotional Dhunuchi folk dance ritual on Ashtami. On the last day of Durga Puja, join the colourful chaos of married women applying Vermillion powder on the idols of Goddess Durga and on each other. The crescendo peaks when the statues are immersed in the holy water, chanting, “Asche bochor abar hobe” (It will happen again next year). Now that’s a festival!
Plan to soak up the culture in The City of Joy during the iconic Durga Puja with some good old-fashioned pandal-hopping. For a deeper dive, book our tour ‘Idolmakers of Kumartulli in Kolkata’.

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