For first-time visitors to Kolkata during Durga Puja, the experience can be truly overwhelming. Beautifully done-up pandals spring up at every turn while colourful banners and festoons compete for your attention—some enticing you to shop, others cautioning against health hazards. The air is filled with loud music punctuated by shrill announcements. The streets are alive with festively dressed crowds, constant traffic jams, dazzling lights, and vibrant food stalls lining the pavements. It feels like you've stepped into a world all its own.
But you will soon be surprised to find a rhythm in this madness, an overarching camaraderie beyond religion. So, just immerse yourself in the flow and enjoy Kolkata's unique spirit during Durga Puja, which is from October 9th to 12th, 2024.
First, get oriented with the city's layout. Remember the Hooghly River lies to the west of Kolkata the Netaji Subhas Airport lies to the east. There are plenty of apps telling you which are the best Durga Pujas in Kolkata and how to get there, and these are your best bet if you want to be on your own. The Sharadotsav app (on Google Play) by West Bengal Tourism is very useful. Apart from maps, it has a zone-wise puja section, which is very handy.
Besides, the app also gives a list of organisations and telephone numbers to be contacted in emergencies. Also, for crowd control, major pandals require you to enter the marquees in queues, with separate lines for men and women. Moreover, the entry and exit points may be at different ends of the marquee. So, if you are a mixed group, then decide on a point where to meet after exiting. If you have children in tow, ensure they are with you at all times.
The crowds at pandals can be challenging to navigate. Hence, for a newbie in Kolkata, it is best to join a group tour to see the major Pujas. You can sign up for one of the several tour packages that are organised by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC). These cover important puja pandals, boat cruises, and bus trips to destinations around Kolkata. If you want to explore the city with an expert, join a city walk tour with Calcutta Walks, Immersive Trails, Kolkata Explorers, etc. But remember, these tours fill up fast.
There is no fixed time when people will be outdoors. Usually, younger people and families with small kids prefer to go pandal-hopping by day. Others prefer to do this from the evening till the wee morning hours, depending on their stamina to walk. So, if you do not want to face a sea of people, the morning hours are best. One of the biggest draws in the evening is the illuminations. To get an idea, you may take a walk around the place where you are staying if you are on your own. The Metro Rail is a convenient way to travel around the length of the city. To bear the snaking queues at the ticket counter, avail the Smart Card facility.
There are several old aristocratic families in Kolkata who have been holding Durga Puja at home for centuries. If you want to see a traditional puja, visiting these households, mostly located in north and central Kolkata, is a must. Of the paara (neighbourhood) pujos, you can keep half a full day each for north, south, southwest, and east (including Salt Lake). Local newspapers, as well as apps, give details of the pandals that are popular in terms of the theme, the decor, the idols, or the illuminations. Some of the most noteworthy pujas are: Ahiritola Sarbojanin Durgotsab, Bagbazar, Mohammad Ali Park, and College Square in North Kolkata. In South Kolkata, the puja pandals at Hindustan Park, Ballygunge Cultural Association, Deshapriya Park, Maddox Square, and Suruchi Sangha are quite popular.
Giving close competition to pandal-hopping during Durga Puja is eating out. The variety of food available on the streets can be mindboggling, from jhaalmuri, phuchka, egg and chicken rolls, chaats and samosa, cutlets, biryani, noodles, dumplings, lassi, and more. Food kiosks spring up all over the city. But remember, not all maintain high standards of hygiene. At some popular para pujos, home chefs and women staying nearby sell home-cooked Bengali food, especially sweets. Restaurants usually have special menus during the duration of the festival. Most do not accept prior reservations, and seating is first-come-first-served. Which means the waiting time to be seated can be long. For Bengali puja platters, head out to Kasturi, Bhojohori Manna, or 6 Ballygunge Place (all have several outlets in Kolkata. For Kolkata biryani and kebabs, the popular places are Zeeshan and Royal in Park Circus. For Kolkata-style Chinese, hit up Golden Dragon or Tung Fong on Park Street, or the restaurants in Tangra (the old Chinatown). New restaurants and pubs like Cal On, Little Bit Sober, Tipsy Tiger and Saz Kolkata also have exciting menus to delight Pujo hoppers this year.
For shops and businesses, Durga Puja is the time of the year when people do not mind loosening their purse strings. They offer discounts, gifts, and lucky draws on almost everything to attract patrons. Bengal is famous for its cotton and silk textiles and gold jewellery. So if you are keen to buy sarees and dress material, drop in at the local shops in Hatibagan in the north, College Street and New Market in the central and Gariahat in the south. Most of the shops remain open until Astami (day eight) morning.
On the tenth day (Vijaya Dashami), the idols are taken out in a procession and immersed in the Hooghly. People queue up along the routes taken by these processions to bid goodbye to the goddess. At the river bank, the idols are put on a boat and taken mid-river for the immersion.