With a slight nip in the breeze wafting in from the Hooghly, it’s time for the known clatter of the bamboo, wood, nails and light boards being installed in Chandernagore, a hardly two-hour drive from the city. Like always, the carnivalesque Jagaddhatri Puja celebrations in Chandernagore begin this year, exactly a month after Durga Puja. As the place known for its craftsmanship with lights begins its preparations, My Kolkata gets you a comprehensive Jagaddhatri Puja lowdown…
The Dates:
Jagaddhatri Puja 2023 begins on November 19 and ends on November 23.
How to Reach:
The entire Jagaddhatri Puja route map extends from Chandernagore to the adjacent towns of Mankundu and Bhadreswar. The best route for the tour would be to begin from Mankundu Station and end at Chandernagore Station. Mankundu and Bhadreswar are the stations preceding Chandernagore on the Howrah-Bardhhaman main line.
Enjoy the lightings as you proceed on the way to the pandals Agnideb Bandyopadhyay
A pocket-friendly and efficient Jagaddhatri Puja itinerary would require one to walk the route. Electric rickshaws may be available in pockets, based on traffic restrictions. Cars may be parked accordingly keeping restrictions in mind which are usually placed afternoon onwards. My Kolkata’s suggestion would be to start from Mankundu Station and end at Chandernagore Station, following a circular route, enjoying the light panels illuminating the route along the historic Chandernagore Strand Road.
Major Pujas
Buri Maa, one of the oldest and the most revered pujas and (right) Rani Maa, the tallest idol of Chandernagore Agnideb Bandyopadhyay
Mankundu: Mankundu Sporting, Notunpara, Neogibagan
Chandernagore: Tematha(Rani Maa), Gondolpara, Chaarmandirtala, Beshohata, Doibokpara, Lichutala, Laalbagan, Barabazar, Chaulpatti (Adi Maa), Taldanga, Santan Sangha, Palpara, Hyalapukur, Bidyalankar, Bagbazar, Fotokgora, Khalishani
Bhadreshwar: Tetultala Gourhati (Buri Maa)
Where to Eat:
Dotted with stalls along the entire route, one should check out rolls, phuchka and chaat counters around Barabazar and the Chandernagore Strand road, besides numerous restaurants of various cuisines spread across the area. One should certainly check out iconic sweet shops like Surya Kumar Modak and Mrityunjoy Sweets for satiating their sweet tongue.
MK suggests: Rolls at Kathi Junction (Barabazar), Phuchka at Benarasi Singh (Adjacent to Sacred Heart Church, Chandernagore), Fish Fry and Mutton Cutlet at Rabi Fast Food Centre (Barabazar), Jalbhora Sandesh at Surya Kumar Modak (Barabazar); Creamchop and Roshomadhuri at Mrityunjoy Sweets (Chobighar More)
Immersion Procession:
Idol being taken out for the immersion (last year) Agnideb Bandyopadhyay
The marquee attraction of Chandernagore’s Jagaddhatri Pujo parikrama is the immersion procession that takes place every year on Dashami. The major baroaris participate in a procession featuring displays of thematic illumination and installations on moving trucks, which ends with the immersion of the goddess at Ranighat, Strand Road, Chandernagore. This year, the night-long procession will begin at 6 pm on November 23 and will continue till 5 am on November 24.
