Being a Mumbaikar, I always loved the decorations and 11 days celebration of Ganeshotsav, this year I am in Kolkata to celebrate DurgaPuja where City of Joy get ready like bride to welcome her daughter Durga. It is the biggest festival in west Bengal.  It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya,  Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Vijayadashami. Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil.

Durga Puja is biggest opportunity to experience the mood of City of Joy. People from all over the country visit Kolkata at this time, and every night is crazy carnival where thousands of people visit pandals with their friends and family. In Kolkata and its suburbs more than 2500 pandals are set up. Today I am sharing few famous pandals in Kolkata. This year I am visiting this pandals. What about you? So, get ready and lets welcome and worship Kolkata’s beloved daughter and kind mother “Maa Durga”.

Kumartuli Park

Location – North Kolkata.

Nearest Metro – Sovabazar Metro

Kumartuli Park Sarbojanin Durgotsab Committee, is celebrating the biggest festival of West Bengal – ‘Durgo Puja’, for the last 20 years.  This year Kumartuli Park Sarbojanin Durgotsav Committee has come up with the unique theme. The ham radio operators have got a nod from the department of telecommunications to set up radio stations at the puja premises where they will demonstrate how  they keep contact with each other during natural disaster when the entire communication system collapse.  

Deshapriya Park

Location: South Kolkata.

Nearest Metro – Kalighat

‘Eto boro? Sotti?’ the teaser advertisement that has shrouded all over Kolkata has finally been lifted. The hoardings have been put up to promote Deshapriya Park’s Durga Puja. Deshapriya Park Durgotsav Committee, the South Kolkata-based organisers of the unique idol slated to be the tallest in the world, are also planning to apply for a place in the Guinness Book of World Records to make their feat memorable. Sponsored by Cement Manufacturing Company Limited (CMCL), the owner of the Star Cement, the idol is made of cement and not clay. It is being executed under the guidance of veteran idol-maker Mintu Pal of Kumartuli, the artisans’ district in North Kolkata.  

Bagbazaar Sarbojanin Durgotsav

Location – North Kolkata.

Nearest Metro – Shyambazar Metro.

This is the 97th year of celebration for Baghbazar Sarbojonin Durgotsab And Exhibition. It is one of the oldest Durga Puja committee in the city and doesn’t need any types of themes. In 1938-1939 this group was privileged by the active participation of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as the president.

Badamtala Ashar Sangha

Location – South Kolkata.

Nearest Metro – Kalighat

With more than 75 years of celebration Badamtala Ashar Sangha has a special place in people’s hearts. Badamtala Ashar Sangha won several awards for the creative work. This year, Badamtala Ashar Sangha have planned to arrange Puja in a completely new subject named Dandiya, visitors can expect a slice of Gujarat and Rajasthan here. This concept is designed and executed by renowned artist Anirban Das.  Mr. Anirban Das is creating murals depicting figures in colorful clothes, cloth camels, peacocks and pottery of the region. While Durga’s idol will be seated on a wooden swing with Ganesh and Kartik on her lap, Lakshmi and Saraswati will be placed by her side. The backdrop has been designed like a haveli, complete with jharokhas.

Jodhpur Park

Location – South Kolkata.

Nearest Metro – Rabindra Sarobar metro

It is one of the popular pandal in Kolkata and celebrating Puja from 1952. Jodhpur Park Saradiya Utsab Committee always prefers to be traditional. This year they switched to folk art and dolls from various parts of Bengal, for a traditional ambience. In black and white, the pandal will be made of clay.  

Suruchi Sangha

Location – South Kolkata.

Nearest Metro – Kalighat

Suruchi Sangha is a sports & cultural club of Kolkata, since 1952. New Alipore Suruchi Sangha always displays a theme of a different state of India each year and concentrated on social messages.

Ekdalia Evergreen Club

Location – South Kolkata.

Nearest Metro – Kalighat

This year the Ekdalia Evergreen Club is going to celebrate its 73rd year. Ekdalia Evergreen Durga Pujo is a crowd-puller as interior and exterior work of the pandal is simple but creative yet make it worth visiting every year.

College Square

Location – Central Kolkata

Nearest Metro – Mahatma Gandhi Road

Set up in 1948 beside a lake in Central Kolkata. In 1946 at the time of Hindu- Muslim riot, the aged persons of different Localities organized committees to celebrate Durgapuja so that the young generation could not be involved in the riot. Durgapuja Started in the of 1948.  College square Durga Puja is one of the oldest pandal in Kolkata since the Independence of India. Nearest landmark is Kolkata university.

Mohammad Ali Park

Location: Central Kolkata.

Nearest Metro – Mahatma Gandhi Road

This is the 47^th year of celebration for Mohammad Ali Park Durga Puja Samity . This year Mohammad Ali Park Durga Puja Samity will come up with African Safari theme, under the banner of Youth Association which represents the request from the birds to give them freedom. It is highly necessary to keep the Indian birds free and not to snatch their freedom. Africa is chosen as a theme because this continent has great diversity. It allows the birds to live in the vast green.

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