Published By: Sohini

Top five Durga Pujas in Kolkata

Durga Puja or Durgotsava is not only a part of the Bengali religion; it is something beyond the barrier of religion. For ages, it has been the festival for all, irrespective of caste, class and religion.

For us, Maa Durga is not only the symbol of power and glory, which is the only source of the triumph of good over evil; she is our daughter, friend and guide. Every year we celebrate the occasion of her arrival from Kailash, and these four days, Maa comes to her parent’s house and brings joy for all of us. This is the time when the entire Kolkata is being decorated to celebrate the arrival of Maa Durga. In each corner of the street, you’ll definitely find puja pandals full of decorations. Some of them are simple, but some are extraordinary, therefore worth mentioning. Let's look at some of the outstanding pandals of Kolkata that you should not skip.

Bagbazar

This is one of the oldest puja pandals, well known for the traditional idol in Kolkata. This is apparently simple, but its beauty lies in traditionalism. This puja has also won many awards based on the beauty of its idol. The Sindoor Khela ritual (married women place the sindoor on the idol) at the last day (doshomi) of puja is one of the central attractions of this puja, through which we bid goodbye to Maa on a happy note.

Kumartuli Park

Kumartuli Park is also one of the central attractions of North Kolkata. It is comparatively a new puja than most of the famous ones and grabs a lot of fame because of its location. It is the puja of the place where the idols are made by the clay modellers. It is always based on certain themes, and the organisers always believe in out of the track things.

College Square

Established in 1948, this famous lakeside puja is the next on this list. The lakeside setting is the prime attraction of that place. It is also famous for the huge colourful idol and the sparkling lights that you can enjoy only after dark. So many big and small stalls are there to give you a fair ambience.

Ekdalia Evergreen

This is an important name in South Kolkata, which is well recognised for the replicas of famous temples across the country. The decoration is also mesmerising, and more importantly, it has one of the tallest idols in Kolkata.

So, you must not forget to visit these places while out for pandal hopping in this puja. But Don't try to hurry up; otherwise, your legs may give up. Moreover, have a happy and safe Durga Puja.