Feel the Festive Excitement: Explore Kolkata’s Durga Puja Pandals

Durga Puja in Kolkata is not just another religious festival. It’s more like an emotional identity embedded in Kolkata’s Cosmopolitan soul. What Durga Puja means to Kolkata and its people can be gauged by thousands of beautiful grand pandals erected during this time. Beautiful, Extraordinary, and Grand- one can aptly use these three words to describe Kolkata's numerous Durga Puja pandals.

The serpentine, sometimes more than a mile long, queue to see and admire these pandals are evidence of the festive madness that engulfs the city of joy during Durga Puja.

While the complete list of all the famous Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata deserves a dedicated book of its own, the following is a sincere attempt to curate a concise list.

North and Central Kolkata

●     Kumartuli Park

Nearest Metro: Sovabazar, Nearest Ferry Ghat: - Sovabazar 

The Kumartuli Park Durga Pandal has steadily risen in popularity because of its out of box creative concepts every year. Moreover, Kumartuli Park Durga Puja Pandal is an added bonus for visitors who like to explore the famous idol-making studios and workshops at Kumartuli.

●     Santosh Mitra Square

Nearest Railway Station: Sealdah

Founded in 1936 as Sealdah Sarbojanin Durgotsav, Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja is famous for creating one of the most innovative Durga puja pandals in Kolkata / its signature artwork every year. People usually walk from Sealdah Railway station toward B B Ganguly Street to reach the pandal.

●     College Square

Nearest Metro Station: MG Road and Central (Almost equal distance) 

The Durga Puja Pandal, against the backdrop of the College square lake, is famous for its sparkling lights and their reflection on the lake water. The place is located at College Street, Kolkata's famous book market near the University of Kolkata.

●     Mohammad Ali Park

Nearest Metro Station: M G Road 

The Durga Puja Pandal at Mohammad Ali Park is one of the biggest crowd pullers in Central Kolkata. Durga Puja started at this place in 1969 and grew to become one of the best Durga Pandals to visit in Kolkata. The park has a lot of free space, which allows pandal makers full liberty to experiment with different ideas each year.

South Kolkata

●     Badamtala Ashar Sangha

Nearest Metro: Kalighat 

Badamtala Ashar Sangha is the pioneer among the theme-based Durga Puja Pandals in Kolkata. The pandal committee experimented with a theme-based pandal in 1999. Since then, it has continued its tradition of representing diverse themes every year.

●     Deshapriya Park Durga Puja

Nearest Metro: Kalighat

Deshapriya Park is one of the biggest playgrounds in South Kolkata. Deshpriya park Durga Puja Pandal once used to be the top destination for pandal hopers due to its unique and daring themes. 

In 2015, the pandal was much hyped due to the 88 feet idol of Goddess Durga. Unfortunately, the pandal was closed down after a stampede. However, the park has earned back its lost glory by continuing its tradition of creating innovative pandals.

●     Suruchi Sangha

Nearest Metro: Kalighat 

The Suruchi Sangh near Kalighat metro station is famous for erecting tastefully decorated pandals with exquisite outdoor craftwork. It is one of the famous Durga Puja Pandals in Kolkata that has won numerous awards over the years for representing versatile themes related to India’s different states.

●     Ekdalia Evergreen

Nearest Metro: Kalighat

The location of Ekdalia Evergreen Durga Puja Pandal is near Mandevilla Gardens towards Gariahat Flyover. You can reach here by taking a Rashbehari Avenue-bound bus or autorickshaw from Kalighat Metro Station.

●     Jodhpur Park

Nearest Railway Station: Lake Gardens 

No pandal hopping in Kolkata can be completed without visiting Jodhpur Park. It is the venue of one of the biggest South Kolkata Durga Puja Pandals known for implementing vast and diverse creative themes each year. 

Words are not enough to describe what it is like to explore Durga Puja Pandals during the five-day festival that begins on Shosti and ends on Doshomi. Visit Kolkata during Durga Puja, explore different Durga Puja pandals, and you’ll take back something special to cherish for a lifetime.