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Durga Puja in Kolkata 2025: A 3-day itinerary for first-timers
Experience Kolkata’s grandeur festival with pandal hopping and cultural feasts.
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Staff Reporter - Tue, 16, Sep 2025
- 23:49 EDT
- 4
Representative Image / Pexels
If there’s one time of the year when Kolkata truly comes alive, it is during Durga Puja. The festival is more than just a religious celebration — it’s a city-wide carnival of art, food, music, and community.
For a first-time visitor, the sheer scale of the festivities can feel overwhelming. To help you navigate, we have created a 3-day itinerary so you can simply soak in the best of Pujo 2025.
Day 1: First stop, North Kolkata
Begin with a visit to Sovabazar Rajbari or Bagbazar Sarbojonin, two of the city’s most iconic and old-world pandals. These offer a glimpse of how Durga Puja began centuries ago in zamindar (merchant) households.
In the afternoon, enjoy a leisurely lunch of Bengali classics — kosha mangsho (spiced mutton curry), luchi (deep-fried bread), and mishti doi at a heritage eatery like Golbari or Bhojohori Manna.
Evening, you can step into Kumartuli, the potters’ colony, to witness artisans giving finishing touches to idols. By nightfall, pandal-hopping in College Square and Hedua Park will give you your first taste of dazzling light installations and community spirit.
Day 2: The Spectacle of South Kolkata
In the morning, head to Ballygunge Cultural Association or Ekdalia Evergreen Club, known for their grand themes and elaborate artistry.
Afternoon, refuel with Kolkata street food — phuchka (pani puri), kathi rolls, and chhanar jilipi.
South Kolkata is home to some of the city’s most ambitious Pujo pandals. Deshapriya Park, Singhi Park, and Badamtala Ashar Sangha often set trends with their creative concepts. Head here in the evening, but expect large crowds, yet unforgettable visuals.
Day 3: Music, Food and Immersion
Morning, pay a visit Maddox Square for a quintessential family-friendly vibe. It’s less about grandeur and more about community gatherings.
Then sample festive bhog (a vegetarian meal offered to the Goddess and distributed among devotees) — usually khichuri, labra (mixed vegetable curry), chutney, and sweets. This is a must-have experience for every first-timer.
And finally, witness the Sindoor Khela ritual on Dashami, when married women smear each other with vermillion before bidding farewell to Goddess Durga. Follow this with the visarjan (immersion procession) along the Hooghly River. It’s emotional, vibrant, and the perfect finale to your Puja journey.
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