Last updated:
Durga Puja
Durga Puja is West Bengal's largest festival, a multi-day celebration of the goddess Durga marked by elaborate, often artistically ambitious pandals (temporary structures) across Kolkata, timed to the Hindu month of Ashwin — the same lunar period as Navratri elsewhere in India — which typically places it in September or October.
By Experience My India Editorial Team
Destination specialists and licensed local guides
Kolkata's neighbourhoods compete to build elaborate, often thematically inventive pandals housing Durga idols, and pandal-hopping — visiting as many as possible over the festival's main days — is the city's central activity during the celebration. The main days culminate in immersion of the idols in the Hooghly river.
Kolkata is unambiguously the place to be — the scale and artistic ambition of its pandals is a specific cultural phenomenon distinct from Durga Puja/Navratri celebrations elsewhere in India.
Durga Puja is timed to the same lunar period as Navratri, in the Hindu month of Ashwin, typically placing the main days in September or October and shifting on the Gregorian calendar each year. (confirmed on enquiry)
When is Durga Puja this year?
Typically September or October, in the same lunar window as Navratri. Confirm the exact dates for your travel year. (confirmed on enquiry)
Is Durga Puja the same as Navratri?
They fall in the same lunar period and share a goddess-focused theme, but Durga Puja in Bengal has its own distinct traditions, especially the pandal culture, that differ from Navratri celebrations in other regions.
How crowded does Kolkata get?
Extremely — pandal-hopping during the main days draws enormous crowds across the city, and traffic and queues at the most popular pandals can be significant.
Experiences around Durga Puja
Festivals & Events
Durga Puja in Kolkata
Private tour
Festivals & Events
Holi in Mathura and Vrindavan
Private tour
Festivals & Events
Diwali in Jaipur
Private tour
Festivals & Events
Pushkar Camel Fair
Private tour
Festivals & Events
Onam in Kerala
Private tour
Festivals & Events
Hemis Festival, Ladakh
Private tour
Festivals & Events
Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai
Private tour
Festivals & Events
Rann Utsav, Kutch
Private tour
Related guides
What guests say
- 5 stars4
- 4 stars2
- 3 stars1
- 2 stars0
- 1 stars0
What our guests say
Michael O'Brien
Dublin, Ireland · Couple · Verified trip
5/53 days agoI travel for work and rarely bother with tours, but this was a proper insider's day. The guide steered us away from the crowds at exactly the right moments, and the lunch he chose was superb.
via Tripadvisor
Daniel Moore
London, UK · Solo · Verified trip
5/51 month agoWe have used a lot of tour companies over the years and this was among the best organised. Every hotel was as described, every transfer on time, and one phone call fixed the single hiccup within minutes.
via Google
Pieter de Vries
Amsterdam, Netherlands · Family · Verified trip
4/52 months agoReally good. The early start was tough but paid off in empty courtyards and cool air. One of the stops on the itinerary was swapped without warning, though the replacement was arguably better.
via Google
Isabella Rossi
Milan, Italy · Solo · Verified trip
5/52 months agoWe had a wheelchair user in our group and the team planned every stop around step-free routes without us having to chase. That level of care is rare. Highly recommended for families.
via Tripadvisor
Why book with Experience My India
Government-approved operator
Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
500+ vetted local guides
35+ destination specialists plan every trip by hand.
Human help, every day
Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST · +91 73022 65809
No payment until you approve
You receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.
Browse by theme
Wildlife Safaris
Heritage & Architecture
Beaches & Islands
Wellness & Ayurveda
Yoga & Meditation
Pilgrimage
Trekking
Adventure
Culinary
Festivals
Craft & Textile Trails
Performing Arts
Luxury Trains
River Cruises
Houseboats
Toy Trains & Railways
Weddings
Roots & Ancestry
Photography Tours
Village & Tribal Tourism
Sports Experiences
Astro Tourism
Glamping & Desert
Shore Excursions
Family Heritage Immersion
Day Trips
Honeymoon & Romance
VIP & Luxury
Plan a trip
Tailor-made quote from a specialist