The gaiety has begun. Bengalis are already indulging in their Durga Puja shopping spree from now. Pandals are under construction and the streets are about to be lit up with upbeat and colorful lights. So, first-timers in Kolkata, be ready to partake in the biggest and the most magnificent festival of the city. Goddess Durga awaits you as you hop some of the most eminent pandals across the streets of Kolkata. Consider this checklist to sort out your itinerary and other fun things you can do in Kolkata during the puja holidays..
Ekdalia Evergreen
Simple yet elegant, Ekdalia Evergreen tries to bring up a unique concept every year through their thematic pandals. Like in 2011, they represented a German Village, Golden Temple of Vellore in 2012 and a traditional Indian temple in 2013. Most importantly, the age-old idol of Goddess Durga that they have retained for generations to come sets them apart from other notable Durga Pujas of the city.
Mohammad Ali Park
Mohammad Ali Park is one of the most traditional Durga Pujas of the North Calcutta region. Every year they bring an unconventional concept to the table, trying to epitomize monuments from different parts of the globe.
With a keen eye for details, they try to make both the exterior and interior as eye-catchy and appealing as possible. Hopefully, in 2022 also they are going to showcase something that would be an absolute treat to the eyes.
Deshapriya Park
Known for its one-of-its-kind themes year after year, the Durga Puja of Deshapriya Park is really can’t miss out during your Kolkata tour.
In 2015, the pandal had replicated the White Temple of Thailand and was successful in garnering tens and thousands of visitors for the consecutive four days.
Interestingly, that year, the idol of Goddess Durga was as massive as 88 ft and was subsequently tagged as the biggest Durga idol in the world. Till now, it is one of the most revered Durga Pujas across the entire city.
Ballygunge Cultural Association
The traditional feel of Ballygunge Cultural Association is what sets it apart from the rest of the Durga Pujas of Kolkata. To reach there you can easily take the itinerary of Jatin Das Road that is off the Rashbehari Avenue and Southern Avenue.
The moment you visit this Pandal, you will feel as if you’ve gone back some decades back when Goddess Durga would be worshipped with even more love, warmth and devotion.
It is one of the most known-for pandals of Kolkata and paying a visit here means witnessing Durga Puja at a whole new level.
Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja Pandal
You can’t afford to fail to pay a visit to Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja when out for your Pandal hopping spree in Kolkata. Celebrating Durga Puja for the past eighty years, it’s definitely one of the most revered pandals all across the city.
In 2017, Santosh Mitra Square chose to depict London through their thematically built Pandal. Interestingly, Goddess Durga was displayed there, imperiously throning the Buckingham Palace in a Queen-like attire.
What’s more, in 2020 also the Pandal Committee decided to do something really distinct all through the festivity. Hence, they retained the traditional ambience of the Puja while ensuring that the legions of visitors out there feel the same spirit and exuberance just like before.
Bagbazar Durga Puja
Bagbazar Sarbojanin is considered one of the oldest Durga Pujas so far. Celebrated in Bagbazar, a prominent location of North Kolkata, it boasts the typical traditional essence when it comes to worshipping Goddess Durga.
Nestling in the heart of Bagbazar region for such a long period of time, the locals out here are the ones who partake in the Puja most actively. So, while hopping the many pandals during Durga Puja in Kolkata, do come to the Bagbazar Sarbojonin Durgotsav for sure.
In fact, if you wish to go back to the olden days, when Maa Durga was worshipped from the bottoms of everybody’s heart, while adhering to the rituals stringently, then paying a visit to this pandal must be in your wish list in 2022.
Samaj Sebi Sangha
Samaj Sebi Sangha is located in Lake View Road of Southern Kolkata. This Pandal is primarily famous for the traditional themes that it showcases year after year. In fact, the Committee tries to convey some social messages through their thematic Pandals such as proper parenting or women empowerment and so on and so forth.
In case you have seen any of their Pujas before, you must have got a clear notion about it right after coming across its interior. So, to witness a grandiose Durga Puja like nowhere, do turn up at the Samaj Sebi Sangha Durga Puja and it’s a bet that you will simply fall for the ambience out here.
However, the magnificence of this revered Puja went down a bit in the year 2020 just to keep visitors safe from the infliction of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ahiritola Sarbojanin Durgotsav
The Ahiritola Sarbojanin Durgotsav is quite a popular Durga Puja, located near to the Kumartuli Park.
As startling as it may sound, the Puja Committee is regarded to be the pioneer of one of the Barwari Durga Pujas since 1940, hence, teeming crowds of visitors come over to this Pandal just to perceive the essence of its tradition and grandeur.
Tips for Hassle-free Durga Puja Pandal Hopping
Over time, Durga Puja has become more of a grandiose extravaganza than the mere worship of Goddess Durga. Hence, the magnificence and spirit of this festivity is increasing with each passing year. As Durgotsav commences all through Kolkata, you will see an outpouring of individuals in every nook and cranny of the metropolis.
To ensure you don’t feel freaked out or give up on your pandal hopping spree midway, here are some tips and tricks to consider.
Plan in advance
Since, a hell lot of pandals erect in Kolkata at the time of Durga Puja, it is not possible to see all of them at a go. Even if you try and do that, you will end up exhausting yourself like anything.
So, the best solution to this problem would be to select a particular itinerary first wherein you wish to pandal hop throughout the entire day. Like this, you can enlist the routes that you want to discover for all the four days during the festivity and optimize tools like Google Maps etc. for that. This way, you would be able to reach all your intended destinations effortlessly.
Alternatively, you can also jot down the pandals that you long to visit the most. Based on that, you can plan the routes that you would be exploring one after the other to experience a super-gratifying yet organized pandal hopping spree.
Consider carrying an umbrella
There was a time when Durga Puja for Kolkatans meant a clement weather that would begin with a balmy morning every day. Now, gone are those days, hence, either it is extremely hot during the Pujas, or else heavy spells of showers are also experienced at times. In this context, a pro tip would be to carry an umbrella along with you even if the weather is bright and clear.
Keep street foods and oily snacks at bay
The city of Kolkata remains inundated with loads of people during the time of Durga Puja. Quite naturally, they must feel hungry even when busy in exploring the revered pandals out there. To meet this immense demand, an influx of street stalls erect in every nook and cranny of this metropolis.
Hence, satisfying everybody’s stomach with quality food gets a little tricky at such times. Either you will find the food items extremely spicy or oily or may be a combination of both. Avoid consuming these edibles at all costs or you might fall ill all of a sudden.
Instead, carry some homemade snacks in your shoulder bag while you munch on them from start to finish, all through your pandal hopping session. The fact is fretters being deep fried to perfection, eggs being cracked on frying pans or sumptuous kebabs dangling along the skewers is not an uncommon scene.
As tempting as they seem but, it’s better to go for healthy snacking rather than noshing these overtly spiced-up and greasy food stuffs. The reason is at the end of the day if you are not well, it’s like shitting all over your enthusiasm and bliss of indulging in a pandal hopping extravaganza.
Put inside packets of ORS and band-aids
Trying to barge into the pandals forcibly is something that you will experience during your pandal hopping session in Durga Puja. As a result, chances are there that either your feet or someone else’s feet will get injured.
In case it happens with you, there is no point in limping all through the day and carrying on with your pandal hopping bout. To get over this issue, it’s better to carry a couple of band-aids with you and put it right on the part where you’ve gotten the wound or cut.
Similarly, the immense heat of Kolkata (as it has become a conventional weather condition during Pujas) can dehydrate you from inside, making you feel a bit unwell.
Hence, carry a few sachets of ORS with you to avoid feeling nauseous or dizzy all of a sudden. In fact, as soon as you feel uneasy, mix an entire packet into a bottle of water and start drinking it right then.
These are just safety precautions you need to take to keep any unwanted ankle injuries or feeling dizzy and drowsy at bay.
Wear Comfortable Clothes
This Durga Puja feeling excited about wearing the trendiest clothes that have come up on the market? Then, ponder over this fact twice, thrice or maybe even more. This is because as already said that even in October, the temperature in Kolkata remains quite high.
As elegant as they may look, wearing such garments during Pujas might not be a feasible idea. Wondering why? The reason is you will start feeling extremely uncomfortable immediately after wearing these clothes.
Needless to say, this unendurably hot weather and the humidity all around are enough to make you perceive it like that. So, wear breathable outfits made of linen, khadi or cotton to enjoy your pandal hopping while remaining utterly comfy and easy from inside.
Keep yourself adequately hydrated
Feeling thirsty at the time of pandal hopping is quite a natural sensation whilst you are out on the streets of Kolkata. In this case, a better idea would be to carry a refillable water bottle and not those mineral drinking water bottles instead.
When exploring your favorite pandals along the city, you will come across plenty of fountains dispensing clean and drinkable water. Check out the railway stations, metro stations and malls for that you will definitely find one.
Besides, there are also local organizations that render water dispensers near the pandals and you can refill your bottle from there as well. Likewise, many pandal committees arrange drinking water facilities for their visitors too.
Hence, getting safe and hygienic water in Kolkata is not a hassle at all, even when Durga Puja remains at its pinnacle.
Wear comfy footwear
If you are out for pandal hopping in Kolkata, it means you have to walk a lot. In fact, Kolkata police too need to barricade the extensive stretches of roads in order to curb the immense crowds that swarm every length and breadth of the city at this time.
So, when you find yourself amidst a massive crowd heading towards a particular pandal, don’t get surprised! Instead, get yourself patient enough to wait there for the next one hour or so before you get led to your favorite Maa Durga idol.
All this and many more result in swollen and aching feet. So, to avoid such an excruciating experience consider wearing footwear that makes you feel comfortable throughout the day.
Make sure you go for shoes or sandals with flats having breathable and soft soles. In this case, sneakers would be the best option since you will have to cover long distances and wait in the queues for hours. Again, if you perspire like anything, then, make sure you carry a pair of socks extra and wear it if need be.
Happy Durga Pandal Hopping!!
So, this 2022, partake in the greatest carnival of Kolkata, Durga Puja. Make sure you visit each of the pandals mentioned above aside turning up at your preferred destinations. While doing all this, don’t miss out on implementing the handy tips that you read in today’s post. Rest assured in return you will enjoy the most hassle-free yet ravishing Pandal Hopping spree down the road.