South Kolkata: Must-visit pandals this Durga Puja
Explore the top South Kolkata Durga Puja pandals, known for their stunning themes, vibrant decorations, and cultural significance.
Explore the top South Kolkata Durga Puja pandals, known for their stunning themes, vibrant decorations, and cultural significance.
Discover the top Durga Puja pandals in North Kolkata for late-night pandal hopping, featuring Bagbazar Sarbojonin, Sreebhumi Club, and more!
In a city where Durga Puja ‘apparently’ means worshipping a grand idol of Goddess Durga along with her children, Garia Mitali Sangha stands apart. Every year, in a distinctive tradition spanning nearly seven decades, nine different forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped under the same roof.
Mahalaya, also known as Sarva Pitri Amavasya (forefathers in heaven), was observed on 2 October this year and marked the end of Pitri Paksha—recalling the ancestors. This is a religiously significant day for Hindu devotees, particularly Bengalis, who, at the crack of dawn with devotional or Shroddha offerings, pray for their souls in the afterlife.
It was in 1998 that a group of women decided to organise an all-women-led Durga puja that would celebrate ‘Nari shakti’ and challenge the gender norms, thus leading from the front with their capabilities, an initiative that had garnered much zeal from several neighbourhood homes
Themes for Durga Pujas in the city have always reflected a slice of the society or major events around the world. So, it is natural for the pujas this year to be affected by the rape and murder of Tilottama at R G Kar hospital.
Kolkata Police enforce traffic restrictions on goods vehicles and key routes during Mahalaya and Durga Puja to ensure smooth movement and public safety.
