As Durga Puja celebrations draw to a close, this year’s festivities have once again highlighted West Bengal’s rich cultural heritage, artistic creativity and enduring traditions.
From elaborate pandals and vibrant decorations to religious rituals and community gatherings, the festival showcased the grandeur that makes it one of the state’s most cherished celebrations.
Recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021, Durga Puja continues to grow in scale and creativity.
This year, Kolkata recorded 319 more pujas than last year, taking the number of registered celebrations in the city to 3,319. Across Bengal’s districts, around 25,000 pujas were held, bringing the state’s total to approximately 58,000, including 12,000 new pujas.
Several pandals stood out for their innovative themes. Yuba Sangha’s installation, created by Bhabatosh Sutar, used a natural pond to highlight disappearing urban ecosystems, incorporating a giant refrigerator-inspired entrance, underwater sounds, projection mapping and shadow performances.
Ballygunge Cultural Association explored sustainability through Jojon: Joining, using discarded chip packets and upcycled flex posters, while Tala Prattoy presented the pandal as a contemporary art installation through sustainable materials, light and shadows. Suruchi Sangha’s Padma celebrated the lotus with kinetic floral sculptures and misting effects.
Tridhara Sammilani’s Surasur explored the eternal battle between good and evil, featuring mythological scenes and a Durga sculpture made from thousands of recycled-plastic pens and refills. College Square drew inspiration from Jaipur’s Albert Hall Museum, bringing Rajasthani architectural grandeur to Kolkata. Hindustan Park Sarbojanin Durgotsav marked its 96th year with the theme ‘Sphulinga’ (The Spark), paying tribute to the struggles, resilience and indomitable spirit of women who worked in match factories. The artistic concept was brought to life by artists Moloy and Subhamay.
Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha’s Beniya Kotha traced Bengal’s maritime trading history, while Ballygunge’s Samaj Sebi Sangha paid tribute to Bengali cinema icon Uttam Kumar on his birth centenary. Meanwhile, Yuva Sangha Nagerbazar’s Ek Pukur Bhalobasha highlighted Kolkata’s disappearing ponds through underwater visuals and sound recordings, drawing attention to their ecological and cultural significance.
Bengal’s first BJP-era Durga Puja celebrations
It is the first Durga Puja held under a BJP government in the state, following 15 years of Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule. The celebrations therefore carry added significance, reflecting not only the state’s rich cultural and religious traditions but also a new chapter in its political landscape.
This year’s Durga Puja saw improved arrangements, with government support for permissions, fire safety, crowd management and other administrative requirements helping make preparations smoother.
Financial relief also came through the waiver of electricity bills, while the decision by larger, financially stronger clubs to forgo puja grants created more scope for smaller committees to benefit from the funds. Security measures were strengthened with armed police personnel deployed inside pandals, including during late-night hours, adding to safety arrangements, particularly for women.
The celebrations continued to showcase creative freedom, with pandals blending contemporary themes and traditional idol-making while preserving Durga Puja’s cultural heritage.
However, the celebrations were overshadowed by the Chorbagan pandal stampede in Kolkata, which claimed 19 lives and injured at least 25 people. The tragedy raised serious questions about crowd management, including narrow exits, confusing announcements, inadequate deployment and the absence of a clear evacuation plan. It also sparked a political dispute between the ruling BJP and opposition TMC.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expressed grief and announced a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, alongside a request for a sitting Calcutta High Court judge to lead the investigation. The government also announced Rs 25 lakh and a Group-D government job for each bereaved family, as well as medical coverage and Rs 5 lakh in assistance for each injured person.
