Durga Puja is more than just a festival in Kolkata. It is an emotion, a celebration of divine feminine energy, art and culture, and a time when the entire city comes alive. To show you what makes this festival so special, Curly Tales is back with a new episode of Festivals of India, presented by Samsung Galaxy. This episode takes you on a vibrant journey through some of Kolkata’s most iconic Durga Puja pandals, bustling markets brimming with traditional Bengali sarees, and lively streets offering an irresistible spread of authentic Bengali snacks.
Grand Durga Puja Celebrations In Kolkata
Durga Puja in Kolkata is more than pandal hopping and clicking photos of Maa Durga. It is one of the biggest social, cultural and artistic events of the year for Bengalis. Our host Siddhaarth Aalambayan explored Kolkata with the famous Bengali actress Ayoshi Talukdar on this episode of Festivals of India, filmed with the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
In Kolkata, Maa Durga is not just seen as a Devi but as a daughter. To welcome their beti back home, the city comes alive with lights, festivities, Dhak music, and lots of food.
On the day of Maha Saptami, Siddhaarth visited the Kashi Bose Lane Pandal, established in 1937! Known for its history and traditions, this pandal has been welcoming visitors since before India’s Independence. You would be surprised to know that Kashi Bose Lane Pandal’s footfall in 2025 crossed six million!
During the visit, Siddharth and Ayoshi captured some amazing photos of the pandal using the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Since Siddhaarth missed his Bengali wife, Reema, while in Kolkata, he came up with an interesting idea! Using the Photo Assist feature on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, he added a photo of Reema to a selfie taken at the pandal, so she could be part of the celebrations too. The result looked so real that it totally blew our mind!
A Pujo Pandal Celebrating Bengal’s Maritime History
One of the best aspects of Durga Puja in Kolkata is the creativity showcased by Bengalis. It is often reflected in the designs, themes, and concepts of their pandals every year. To see this creativity, the duo stopped by Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha. The pandal here featured ports and ships, showcasing Bengal’s trading history and its connection with waterways. In 2026, Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha, famous for its thematic pandals, celebrated its 41st Durga Puja with a theme called ‘Banijya Katha’. It represented Bengal’s maritime trade and the stories connected to it.
You would be surprised to know that in 2026 alone, there were over 3,000 pandals set up in Kolkata, reflecting the larger-than-life celebrations. The festival is the same, but every pandal has its own identity and theme, which sets it apart from the others.
Also Read: Durga Puja In A Church In Scotland? Indians Abroad Find A Piece Of Home Every Year In Glasgow
Shopping For Traditional Bengali Sarees At Gariahat Market
Durga Ashtami started with a shopping trip at the 19th-century Gariahat Market. The market is lined with shops famous for not just traditional Pujo outfits but also for accessories, jewellery, and so much more.
One of the highlights of Bengali festive dressing is the Dhakai Jamdani saree, often seen in white and red, colours that represent purity and Shakti (feminine power). This saree is an important part of Durga Puja celebrations in Kolkata. There are also Kantha-work outfits, which feature motifs created using running stitches. While women in Kolkata typically wear sarees for Durga Puja, men usually wear Dhoti-Punjabi.
After shopping, Siddhaarth got a chance to witness how Bengali families celebrate Durga Puja in a traditional way. He stepped into the home of a Bengali family, who welcomed him with open arms. They shared that, for them, the festival is all about visiting friends and family and inviting them home for Durga Puja celebrations and parties. During Durga Puja, Bengalis do not diet. For them, the festival is all about feasting and even enjoying non-vegetarian food.
The family also treated them to the traditional Bengali bhog, which becomes prasad after it is offered to Maa Durga. The feast featured Luchi, Khichuri, Rosogolla, and many other mouth-watering delicacies. The family celebrates the five days of Durga Puja with great fervour, a time when Kolkata is up around the clock, celebrating every minute of the festivities.
Dhunuchi Dance & Dhak Beats At Tala Prattoy
To experience the energy of Durga Puja in Kolkata, Siddhaarth headed to Tala Prattoy, an award-winning pandal that celebrated its 101st Durga Puja with the theme ‘Detachment’. Here, they tapped their feet to the beats of the Dhak, played by Dhakis, and also enjoyed the Dhunuchi dance, which is performed while holding a burner in the hands.
Ayoshi Talukdar showed us how the dance is performed. Since there was very little light, Siddhaarth used the Nightography feature of the Galaxy S26 Ultra to capture all of Ayoshi’s performance. This feature is really useful during the evenings and at night as it illuminates the frame.
Sindhoor Khela And Bengali Food
No Durga Puja celebration in Kolkata is complete without street food, right? The episode also gives viewers a glimpse of Siddhaarth relishing Kathi Rolls, Puchka, and other Bengali delicacies.
Before wrapping up the episode, our host witnessed Sindoor Khela on the day of Vijaya Dashami. This is the day when devotees prepare for Maa Durga’s departure with aartis, rituals, and visarjan. These rituals are performed with the belief that Durga Maa will return next year.
Also Read: Exclusive: Hanuman Ansh Producer Reveals The Miracles That Happened During The Film’s Shoot!
So, this is how Durga Puja is celebrated in Kolkata! Want to watch the full episode? Festivals of India, presented by Samsung Galaxy, is now streaming on Curly Tales’ YouTube channel.
Cover Image Courtesy: Internal
