Traditions meet culture, while fashion and food meet celebrations and togetherness. Art and creativity come together to narrate a story. A lot of things make Durga Puja special in Kolkata.
There’s no dearth of things to do in the city during the festive time, and the dilemma of choosing is real!
To help you plan the fun for the five days of Durga Puja, My Kolkata has some recommendations.
Hassle-free pandal hopping
Finding a crowd-free time for pandal hopping during the five days of Puja is impossible but signing up for a tour might help Soumyajit Dey
If you are someone who loves visiting pandals to appreciate the showcase of art and creativity, you must be looking out for the best time to avoid crowds. The truth is, it is nearly impossible to find popular pandals less crowded during the prime five days of Pujo, but you can make the experience hassle-free by opting for planned tours or acquiring VIP passes.
An option to make it hassle free can be signing up with organisations such as tours and travel agencies, event management companies, etc, who arrange planned pandal-hopping tours around the city. The itinerary usually includes a day-long plan with bus services, food pit-stops, and essentials like medical assistance and first-aid. These often have tie-ups with puja committees which helps you cut long queues.
Check out: Preview Show 2023 of Durga Puja Art, Durga Puja Parikrama by Supportact
Another option is to acquire VIP passes. Earlier, these passes were only available with people associated with organisations and Puja Committees. Now, they can be purchased as well. For example, Forum for Durgotsab has put up passes for sale on The Telegraph Online’s website and on Paytm Insider.
Ideal plan for: Sasthi to Navami
A ‘bonedi bari’ Puja tour
The ‘sandhi puja’ at Narasingha Chandra Daw Bari Amit Datta
Besides contemporary Puja pandals, if you also want to witness traditional rituals and cultures, then visit the Durga Pujas at the bonedi baris of Kolkata. Travel companies and organisations now also have guided and day-long tours of Kolkata’s barir Pujos. The itineraries also usually include a stop for bhog at one of the bonedi baris. Witness age-old traditions and the sabeki look of the goddess in a homely affair. Travelling solo, you might need special permissions to enter many of the bonedi baris but with organised tours, you won’t have to worry about the logistics.
Check out: Bonedi Bari Parikrama by FunOnStreets, Kolkata Bonedi Bari Tour by Ryask Tourism
Ideal plan for: All days of Pujo
Durga Puja in rural Bengal
Durga Puja celebrations at Tepantar near Bankura Courtesy Banganatakdotcom
There are several Durga Pujas outside the city that are quite popular. The theme trend has also taken over rural Bengal, however, there are still traditional Pujas and bonedi bari Pujas in these areas that are worth experiencing. There are guided tours by organisations for these as well, but you can easily plan one of these yourself. If you want to spend time with the families, closely watching their rituals and traditions, you can contact them directly for permission. Many families open their gates for their guests. You could also book a stay in one of the areas known for Durga Puja and spend the five days of Pujo exploring.
Check out: Hooghly and Kalna Puja Parikrama, Rural Durga Puja Tour, Durga Puja at Dwarhatta, Tepantar Eco theatre resort
Ideal plan for: All five days
A luxury Durga Puja staycation
Durgabari at Novotel Novotel Kolkata
Another great, and indulgent, way to enjoy Durga Puja is from the comfort of a staycation, which also offers all the feels of Pujo. A few luxury chains in Kolkata, offer special Durga Puja stay packages and some have a Puja in their premises, where you can join in all the traditions and rituals.
Pamper yourself away from the crowd and spend time indulging in traditional Bengali cuisine and relax with all kinds of facilities. You can pick a hotel that has an in-house Durga Puja and savour bhog, sindoor khela, dhunuchi naach, and more.
Check out: Durgabari by Novotel, ITC Sonar Bangla and ITC Royal Bengal, Fairfield By Marriott
Ideal plan for: All five days
Away from the city, but with all the ‘Pujo’ vibes
The Rajbari Bawali Shutterstock
Rajbaris and zamindar baris make for a great retreat to enjoy the charms of a bygone era. Some of these homes are now heritage hotels and a few also have their own Durga Puja, like the bonedi baris and hotels. It takes a few hours to drive to these locations in West Bengal, but the return is a full package enjoying Puja at its traditional best. You will wake up to the sound of the dhaak and smell of the dhuno. Plus, there’s a Bengali feast served every day.
Check out: Bari Kothi, The Rajbari Bawali
Ideal plan for: All five days
Witness ‘bisharjan’ on Dashami
Scenes from ‘bisarjan’ at the ghats of Ganga Shutterstock
While it is difficult to say goodbye to the goddess every year, the bisarjan is a spectacle worth witnessing. The emotions of the people, the gathering of all the idols around the city at the ghats — the ambience is surreal. You can witness all of this on a special river cruise on Dashami. Away from the chaos of the shore, you can watch the immersion in peace. The tours also make for great photo ops. A special river cruise is also conducted outside Kolkata, in the border town of Taki, where you can see the immersion of idols from both Bangladesh and West Bengal. The boat takes you to a vantage point on Ichhamati river from where you can see the two countries bringing in Durga idols for bisarjan.
Check out: Ganga Bokhye Devi Visharjan Darshan, Epar Bangla Opar Bangla Devi Visharjan Darshan
Ideal plan for: Dashami
