The Durga Puja festival in Kolkata is not merely a festival but a ferocity of art, food, music, and energy burst-filled five remarkable days. Here, Kolkata has become the best travel places in India. Ever wondered how an urban center can be transformed into a large art gallery, food court and a carnival at once? The answer is Kolkata during Durga Puja.
Strap in. This is your complete but slightly offbeat guide to celebrating the Durga Puja 2025 in the City of Joy.
Why Durga Puja in Kolkata is the Oscars + Met Gala + Diwali Combo
Each year, approximately 30,000 pujas are set up in West Bengal, of which there are nearly 3,000 pandals in Kolkata. The city does not only worship Durga, it creates temples of art, reinvents culture and subsequently throws the best street party ever. It has become one of the best tourist places to visit in India.
So imagine it this way: Diwali = Light | Holi = Color | Christmas = Cheer, and Durga Puja in Kolkata is all of that but pumped to 200.
What is the date of Durga Puja 2025?
Make sure you mark calendar, the city will be packed, because, this time kolkata becomes one of the top places to visit in india:
Mahalaya: September 21, 2025 (the day where Durga is invited to the earth)
Shashthi: 28-September 2025 (the official start of pandal-hopping)
Saptami: September 29, 2025
Ashtami: September 30,, 2025 (the big one–there are going to be long lines everywhere)
Nabami: October 1, 2025
Dashami: October 2, 2025 (saying farewell to the goddess with sindoor khela and immersions)
The best time to visit is September 28 to October 4, especially when taking a trip.
Hotels to stay during Durga Puja
Book your hotels months earlier to avoid disappointment because this period is the busiest. It has become one of the most tourist places in India. The scoop:
- Oberoi Grand (Olde world charm + city centre location), Taj Bengal (Lush like a palace + has a view).
- Park Prime, Park Prime Roop Roop, Park Prime Cluster, The Peerless Inn (near the pandal cluster).
- Budget: Backpacker hostels in Sudder Street or Salt Lake guesthouses.
Pro tip: If you want pandals at your doorstep, stay around South Kolkata (Ballygunge, Gariahat, Jodhpur Park) or North Kolkata (Shobhabazar, Kumartuli, College Street).
Must-See Pandals of 2025
From trying to recreate the Pyramids of Giza, or Hogwarts Castle, or even a complete tribal village, there are examples of pandals topping themselves over a year of celebrations. Nobody knows what the themes of 2025 are, but those following a certain trend are certain names:
North Kolkata Classics:
Kumartuli Park, Bagbazar, Shobhabazar Rajbari
South Kolkata Killers:
Deshapriya Park (the park with giant idols), Ballygunge Cultural, Jodhpur Park and Ekdalia Evergreen
Salt Lake Innovations:
Other neighborhood pandals were FD Block, BJ Block and other quirky techy pandals.
Tip:
Do not endeavor to mention everything. Select 8-10 pandals daily and take it easy. Even when you have the important things in life, it is not a race. It is a marathon.
Pandal Hopping the Pro Way
Day/Night: Go to well-known pandals during the day, when there is not much crowd. But with sunset? That is when the city lights up as a galaxy.
Footwear Game: Sneakers > everything. During these 5 days you will walk more than in a year’s gym subscription.
Your Savior is not Google Maps: The roads get blocked, detours emerge and traffic rules are taken for a toss. Walk where the crowd goes and local volunteers.
Power Snacks: Take water, a packet of biscuits and possibly chanachur (spicy snack mix). You will thank yourself.
Public Transport = lifeline: Take metro, auto and shuttle buses. Taxis will reject or overcharge.
Food: The True Goddess in Puja.
Honestly, half of the people go outside to eat. The street food outlets become one of the best places to visit in India. This is a quick etiquette lesson on what to eat where:
- Street foods: Phuchka (pani puri but on a 1000x better scale), kathi rolls at Nizam, egg devil chops and telebhaja (fried fritters).
- Bengali Delights: Bhoger khichuri (temple-style), luchi with alur dom,Shorshe ilish (mustard hilsa), kosha mangsho with basanti pulao.
- Sweet Overload: Rosogolla, sandesh, mishti doi and the seasonal nolen gur sweets should you be lucky.
- Café culture: Good old-school restaurants like Flurys on Park Street would be a place to go in case you need AC and Wi-Fi.
Pro tip: Avoid fancy dining at dinner time. Puja food is best enjoyed at roadside stalls while standing with 20 strangers.
Cultural Highlights Beyond Pandals
It is not only a goddess Durga Puja. It is simply what is going on around her:
- Dhak Beats: The classic drum that automatically gives you goosebumps.
- Dhunuchi Naach: Smoking incense pots and dancing by the locals (yes, without fainting).
- Sindoor Khela: On Dashami women apply vermillion to one another and part with Durga.
- Kumartuli Visit: Here is where the idols are fabricated. These masterpieces take months to be made by artisans.
- Adda Sessions: Sit on a bench by the roadside and drink tea in a bhaar (earthen cup) and discuss politics, football or which pandal is overrated.
Transportation During Puja
Metro: Operates late hours, least expensive and quickest.
Autos & Totos: Perfect when you want to travel short distances, and be ready to queue.
Walking: Foot is the authentic Kolkata Puja experience.
Cycle Rickshaws: Old-world charm particularly in North Kolkata lanes.
Avoid self-driving. A road is blocked, parking is a fable, and traffic policemen are ruthless.
Wacky Puja Tricks You Will Appreciate
Bring a small deodorant, believe me the crowds + Calcutta humidity will create a sweat mess.
- Have ready cash. A lot of food stalls are yet to operate through card or UPI.
- Bring a power bank. With pictures, maps, and WhatsApp messages, your lifeline (the phone) will not last till Ashtami.
- When people tell you, this pandal has AC, do not laugh. It is likely to be true.
Remember:
The queues are clearly faster when you believe you want to really know the idol, not just the Instagram side of it.
Time of the Day to Have Best Vibes
- Early Morning 5-7AM: Go to North Kolkata to “Prabhat Pheri” (morning processions with conch shells, dhak, and chants).
- Afternoon: Partake bhog at a para (community) puja. That plain khichuri beats any five-star buffet.
- Evening: It is the season of major pandal-hopping time–the city will be like Times Square only a hundred times more.
- Midnight: When the magic really occurs. No pushing crowds, empty streets, and pandals with bright lights. This is heaven to night-owls.
Shopping During Puja
Festivals = shopping excuses. Head to:
- New Market: Chaos + bargains + everything under one roof.
- Gariahat: Sarees, handicrafts, jewelry—Bengali fashion central.
- South City Mall / Quest Mall: For those who need their Zara and H&M fix.
Remember, half the city shops before Puja. During Puja, it’s more about flaunting than buying.
Saying Goodbye on Dashami
Dashami is bittersweet. The goddess leaves for her heavenly home, and the city gets emotional. The most iconic moments:
- Sindoor Khela at Shobhabazar Rajbari – married women dressed in red & white sarees smear vermillion.
- Visarjan processions – idols are taken to the Ganga with dhak beats, chants, and dancing crowds.
- And then? The city quietly whispers: “Asche Bochor Abar Hobe” (It will happen again next year).
Final Word: Why You Can’t Miss Durga Puja 2025
If you’ve never seen an entire city transformed into a living, breathing artwork, Durga Puja in Kolkata is your ticket. It’s messy, crowded, chaotic, sweaty, loud—and absolutely magical. This place has become one of the best tourist places in India.
You’ll lose track of time, you’ll lose your way in lanes, you’ll lose count of how many rosogollas you’ve eaten. But you’ll gain something better: the feeling of being part of a celebration where art, devotion, and joy collide.
So pack your sneakers, book your hotel, and prepare yourself. Because Durga Puja 2025 in Kolkata is not a festival—it’s one of the best places to visit in India.
