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- Ordered pandal circuit
- Travel-mode advice
- Street-smart timing notes
- Easy to keep on your phone
PUJO SOUNDS BETTER WITH MUSIC
পুজোর গান · Your Pujo soundtrack
Agomoni at dawn, new releases for the road, pandal hits and the classics that always bring Pujo home.
Agomoni Songs
For Mahalaya mornings and Devi’s arrival.
Pujor Gondho
Fresh Bengali songs for the season.
Pujo Retro
Timeless Puja classics and nostalgia.
Pandal Hits
Upbeat songs for the whole porikroma.
FIRST, PICK ONE SIDE
Durga Puja 2026 dates in Kolkata
Kolkata’s Durga Puja is thousands of neighbourhood festivals happening together. UNESCO inscribed Durga Puja in Kolkata on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021. The practical rule for visitors is simpler: North and South Kolkata are separate outings. Pick one side and avoid backtracking.
| Day | Date | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Mahalaya | Sat 10 Oct | Devi Paksha begins; Mahishasuramardini at dawn |
| Panchami | Thu 15 Oct | Most major pandals open; a strong daytime choice |
| Maha Shashthi | Fri 16 Oct | Bodhon in the evening |
| Maha Saptami · Day 1 | Sat 17 Oct | Saptami observances begin; crowds build through the day |
| Maha Saptami · Day 2 | Sun 18 Oct | Second Saptami day; expect heavy weekend footfall |
| Maha Ashtami | Mon 19 Oct | Pushpanjali and Sandhi Puja; expect heavy crowds |
| Maha Navami | Tue 20 Oct | Last full night of pandal hopping |
| Vijaya Dashami | Wed 21 Oct | Sindoor Khela and immersion |
Calendar and operations note: ritual calendars can differ by a day, while opening hours, traffic controls and Metro special services may change. Verify official notices before travelling.
ONLY HAVE THREE HOURS?
Three concentrated Kolkata pujo routes
Bagbazar–Kumartuli–Sovabazar
Park once or arrive at Sovabazar Sutanuti Metro. Walk roughly 2 km through traditional community pujas, idol-makers’ lanes and a rajbari puja.
Gariahat + Lake Market
Walk Ekdalia, Singhi Park, Hindustan Park and Ballygunge Cultural; then continue to Shibmandir, Samaj Sebi and Tridhara.
Sreebhumi + Santosh Mitra Square
Attempt Sreebhumi on a weekday morning, then Santosh Mitra Square before the late-afternoon surge. Treat both queue estimates cautiously.
32 STOPS · FILTERABLE
Durga Puja 2026 themes at a glance
Search the 2026 Kolkata pandal list by area, theme, crowd and Metro distance. “Theme to be revealed” means the guide will not guess. Add up to 11 stops to your route; Google Maps formally supports nine intermediate waypoints and some phone browsers may show fewer.
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উত্তর কলকাতা
North Kolkata Durga Puja pandal hopping route
ABOUT 14 PUJAS6 principal stops + heritage walk
17 KMDaytime driving inside circuit
3 KMApproximate walking
5½ HOURSPlan roughly 11:00–16:35
Coming from South or Central Kolkata
Take the EM Bypass north toward Ultadanga and VIP Road. Start at Sreebhumi, sweep west toward Tala and the river, then finish at Santosh Mitra Square near Sealdah. The return toward South Kolkata is more direct from there.
Coming from North or Salt Lake
Reverse the circuit. Start at Santosh Mitra Square around 11 am, then move through Chaltabagan, Hatibagan, the heritage walk and Tala. End at Sreebhumi, preferably before 3:30 pm.
Metro + walking version
Blue Line to Shyambazar for Bagbazar, then walk through Kumartuli and Sovabazar. Continue toward Hatibagan and Girish Park. Sreebhumi and Tala are easier by auto or cab from Belgachia.
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Sreebhumi Sporting Club
Hawa Mahal · Very high crowd · Belgachia Metro + auto. Do not stop on VIP Road.
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Tala Prattoy
Biyojon · A tighter site this year; approach before noon.
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Bagbazar–Kumartuli–Sovabazar heritage walk
Bagbazar Sarbojanin, Kumartuli Park, Kumartuli Sarbojanin, Ahiritola, Sovabazar Rajbari and Jagat Mukherjee Park. Park once; eat around Sovabazar or Bagbazar.
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Hatibagan cluster
Nalin Sarkar Street, Hatibagan Sarbojanin and Hatibagan Nabin Pally.
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Chaltabagan Lohapatty
Nishan — The Mark · Girish Park is the nearest practical Metro connection.
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Santosh Mitra Square
Vande Mataram installation · Very high crowd · Sealdah Metro. Mohammad Ali Park and College Square are alternatives if the final queue is excessive.
দক্ষিণ কলকাতা
South Kolkata Durga Puja pandal hopping route
ABOUT 14 PUJAS5 driving stops + 2 walks
13 KMDaytime driving inside circuit
3 KMApproximate walking
5½ HOURSPlan roughly 11:00–16:35
Coming from South Kolkata
Enter from the EM Bypass at Kasba. Start at Rajdanga, then move west through Gariahat, Lake Market, Kalighat, Chetla and New Alipore.
Coming from North or Central Kolkata
Reverse it: start at Suruchi Sangha via Alipore Road, keep Badamtala before 3 pm, and finish at Kasba beside the Bypass.
Metro + walking version
Kalighat for Badamtala, then auto to Chetla. Rabindra Sarobar serves Lake Market. Continue by auto along Rashbehari Avenue to the Gariahat cluster.
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Kasba pocket
Rajdanga Naba Uday Sangha and Bosepukur Sitala Mandir; use Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Metro plus a last-mile connection.
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Gariahat walk + lunch
Ekdalia Evergreen, Singhi Park, Hindustan Park and Ballygunge Cultural Association. Park once and walk.
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Lake Market walk
Shibmandir, Samaj Sebi and Tridhara, with Deshapriya Park nearby.
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Badamtala Ashar Sangha
Go before the afternoon traffic controls. Kalighat Metro is about 500 m away.
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Chetla pair
Chetla Agrani and Alipore Sarbojanin.
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Suruchi Sangha
Lotus (Padma) · New Alipore. Drop on the main road and keep the vehicle outside the block.
Add-on circuits
Central Kolkata · 2 hours
Santosh Mitra Square → Mohammad Ali Park → College Square → Maddox Square. Use Sealdah, Central, MG Road and Jatin Das Park stations.
North heritage · 3 hours
Bagbazar–Kumartuli–Sovabazar walk plus Chorebagan. This is the strongest compact route for tradition and old-city atmosphere.
Behala · 3 hours
Haridevpur 41 Pally → Behala Natun Dal → Barisha Sarbojanin. Confirm Behala Natun Dal’s final theme on the day.
INTERACTIVE TOOL
Plan your circuit
Choose your circuit, starting side, travel mode, day and start time. Check live traffic before you leave.
NOT LIVE QUEUE DATA
Wait-time estimator
Choose a pandal, day and arrival time for a practical planning range.
How to get around during Durga Puja 2026
| Mode | Best for | Advantage | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro | Moving between clusters | Avoids road congestion | Special timetable and last service must be checked officially |
| Car with driver | Daytime circuits | Efficient rest and longer transfers | Parking bans and pedestrian zones after mid-afternoon |
| App cab / taxi | Point-to-point transfers | No parking responsibility | Surge pricing and failed pickups inside closures |
| Auto-rickshaw | Metro feeders | Useful for Lake Town, Kasba and Chetla | Shared autos follow fixed routes |
| Ferry | Howrah to North Kolkata | Scenic and traffic-free | Check the operating timetable |
| Walking | Every pandal cluster | Often the only final approach | Expect a long day; use comfortable shoes |
Metro cheat sheet
Belgachia: Tala and Lake Town feeder connections · Shyambazar: Hatibagan and Bagbazar · Sovabazar Sutanuti: Kumartuli, Ahiritola and Rajbari · Girish Park: Chorebagan and Chaltabagan · Central/MG Road: Mohammad Ali Park and College Square · Sealdah: Santosh Mitra Square · Kalighat/Rabindra Sarobar: Lake Market, Badamtala and Chetla · Mahanayak Uttam Kumar: Suruchi feeder · Hemanta Mukhopadhyay: Kasba feeder · Behala Bazar/Taratala: Behala circuit.
Kolkata Durga Puja 2026 traffic advisory, one-way roads and parking
Treat all street-level guidance below as a planning baseline. Kolkata Police can change diversions, closures and parking controls at short notice. Follow officers and live road signage.
Likely one-way pressure
Lake Road, Purna Das Road, Harish Mukherjee Road, B.B. Ganguly Street, College Street and Bidhan Sarani frequently operate under special Puja controls. Do not plan a route that depends on reversing through a cluster.
Parking strategy
Use a paid lot or arrange drop-off on a main road. Never stop on VIP Road or at a major junction. Agree on a pickup corner in advance and share live location.
Official information wins
Check Kolkata Police’s Puja Guide Map and Kolkata Traffic Police before departure. Check Metro Railway Kolkata for the special Puja timetable.
Safety, rules and pujo etiquette
- Carry water, a charged power bank, cash and rain protection; wear shoes suitable for a long walk.
- Fix a meeting point before joining a queue and place a contact card in children’s pockets.
- Do not block the idol enclosure for photographs. Respect anjali, arati and the queue direction.
- Do not rely on a VIP pass at the largest pandals.
- Emergency: 112 or 100; Kolkata Traffic Police helpline: 1073.
Where to eat while pandal hopping
Choose by price and part of town. These are editorial landmarks, not a ranking; opening hours and Pujo menus can change.
North Kolkata
Plan fish fry, kabiraji or Moghlai paratha around Sovabazar and Hatibagan. Add rosogolla in Bagbazar or sandesh near Ramdulal Sarkar Street.
South Kolkata
Use the Gariahat–Hindustan Park stop for a Bengali thali. Lake Market and Rashbehari work for rolls and phuchka; Kalighat for tea and telebhaja.
Bhog
Many community pujas offer khichuri bhog on Ashtami or Navami. Ask volunteers politely about time and process; bhog is offered, not sold.
PUJO BEYOND THE PANDALS
What Kolkata wears, eats and does
From Shashthi to Dashami
Shashthi brings bodhon and the first proper evening out. Saptami begins with Nabapatrika rituals. Ashtami centres on pushpanjali and the charged moment of Sandhi Puja; Navami is the last full night of celebration. Dashami brings sindoor khela in many pujas, farewell and immersion processions.
What to wear
There is no city-wide dress code. Cotton, breathable shoes and a light layer for air-conditioned Metro rides are practical by day. Sarees, panjabis, dhotis and festive Indian wear come out for anjali, evening visits and family gatherings—but comfort matters when a circuit means several kilometres on foot.
What people eat
Community bhog commonly means khichuri, labra, chutney and payesh. Outside the pandal, Pujo moves between rolls, phuchka, fish fry, biryani, telebhaja, mishti and long family meals. Eat before joining a major queue and carry water; the best food stop is the one that keeps the route moving.
The sounds and signs
Dhak, shankha, uludhwani, incense, shiuli, alpona and the changing light are part of the city’s shared sensory memory. The pandal is also temporary public art: artisans, neighbourhood clubs and visitors together turn Kolkata into a walkable festival.
Food mentions are independent editorial suggestions. Nothing on this page is paid, sponsored or an advertisement.
Frequently asked questions
When is Durga Puja 2026 in Kolkata?
Panchami is Thursday 15 October, Shashthi is Friday 16 October, Saptami runs across Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October, Ashtami is Monday 19 October, Navami is Tuesday 20 October and Dashami is Wednesday 21 October.
What is the best time for pandal hopping?
For driving, 11 am–3 pm on Panchami or Shashthi is the planning sweet spot. For the largest pandals, early morning or after 1 am may be quieter, but queues remain unpredictable.
What is Sreebhumi Sporting Club’s 2026 theme?
The announced concept is Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal. Confirm the final presentation with the committee before making a special journey.
What is Santosh Mitra Square’s 2026 theme?
The announced concept is “Sanatani Chetanay Vande Mataram,” with installations connected to the national song and Partition history.
What is Suruchi Sangha’s 2026 theme?
The announced concept is “Lotus” (Padma). Verify the final presentation locally.
Which North Kolkata pandals fit into one day?
Sreebhumi, Tala, the Bagbazar–Kumartuli–Sovabazar walk, Hatibagan, Chaltabagan and Santosh Mitra Square form a coherent daytime circuit.
Which South Kolkata pandals fit into one day?
Kasba, Gariahat, Lake Market, Badamtala, Chetla and Suruchi can form a full daytime circuit if traffic remains manageable.
Should I take a car?
A car with a driver is useful before mid-afternoon. For evenings, Metro plus walking is usually more predictable because parking and vehicle access tighten.
Which Metro serves Kumartuli and Bagbazar?
Sovabazar Sutanuti is convenient for Kumartuli, Ahiritola and Sovabazar. Shyambazar is useful for Bagbazar.
Which roads may become one-way?
Roads around Lake Market, Kalighat, College Street, Sealdah and major North Kolkata clusters commonly receive Puja controls. The current Kolkata Police order and street signs always override this guide.
Is Ashtami a dry day?
Check the current West Bengal government notification for any dry-day restrictions on Ashtami.
Is DJ music allowed?
Follow current police and pollution-control directions on amplified or DJ music, including during immersion processions.
Do VIP passes help at the biggest pandals?
Do not build the day around a VIP pass. Access policies vary and the largest pujas may still require substantial walking and waiting.
Are the displayed waiting times live?
No. They are broad editorial estimates based on typical crowd patterns. Always trust the queue you can see and official crowd-control directions.
Useful official links
Based on publicly available information and may not be 100% accurate.
Before leaving, check: Kolkata Police Puja guide maps · Kolkata Traffic Police · Metro Railway Kolkata · UNESCO: Durga Puja in Kolkata.