As Kolkata’s Durga Puja sees a marked shift towards overtly Hindu and nationalist themes, some pandals hold on to the festival’s inherently cultural ethos
The new BJP government in West Bengal seems to have put the “puja” factor back in Kolkata’s community Durga Puja, which has forever been less of a religious festival and more of a cultural one.
Following the government’s directives, and of course, a change of hands of some of the major puja committees, bold, thought-provoking themes (sometimes bordering on outrageous to the unaccustomed eye) have been replaced with distinctly “Sanatani” ones this year.
While replicating temples and other magnificent structures from across India and the world is not new to Kolkata Durga Puja, what is unmissable is the saffron factor in the choice of themes this year: Ramayana, Vande Mataram, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Partition. One pandal—at a puja being organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha—is reportedly even dedicated to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari!
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Here are 10 pandals that you must visit in Kolkata this Durga Puja if you want a taste of something new, something unique, and something mind-blowingly artistic and innovative. However, do not expect to see themes raising political and social questions.
1. New Alipore Suruchi Sangha: Lotus
One of the biggies of South Kolkata, Suruchi Sangha has changed hands from former TMC minister Aroop Biswas and his brother Swaroop Biswas (now in jail) to the BJP MLA from Dum Dum, Sourav Sikdar, who is the new puja committee secretary.
And that change has reflected in the puja pandal theme too. Suruchi Sangha’s theme this year is “Lotus” (of course), and the pandal will reportedly showcase the life and legacy of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who in 1951 founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the direct predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mookerjee’s 125th birth anniversary was celebrated in July.
The Suruchi Sangha pandal will reportedly highlight the role Mookerjee played in founding the Hindu Mahasabha and the Bengali Hindu Homeland Movement, which led to the creation of West Bengal during partition, and his role in shaping the politics of West Bengal and India.
The idol of the Goddess will be in the traditional form, and recent videos show a statue and cutouts of Mookerjee, his quotes, and also cutouts of his father Ashutosh Mukherjee and other family members in the pandal. The décor is mostly being created with straw.
2. Santosh Mitra Square (Lebutala): Vande Mataram
Fellow BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh’s Santosh Mitra Square pandal may sound like an action replay of Suruchi Sangha. The core motifs—lotus, SP Mookerjee, Partition—are all present at Lebutala in central Kolkata though the theme is named differently: Sanatani Chetanay Vande Mataram (Vande Mataram in Sanatani consciousness).
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Santosh Mitra Square has chosen the national song as the theme for its 91st Durga Puja to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram. The puja will pay tribute to India’s freedom struggle while reflecting on the legacy of Partition.
The India-shaped pandal will reportedly feature original photographs from the Partition era, a replica of the Red Fort, and a train installation depicting the mass migration of 1947 through lifelike figures and special effects. Statues of freedom fighters such as Khudiram Bose and Matangini Hazra will also be on display.
Built over nearly three months by around 180 workers, the pandal will reportedly include a wall dedicated to Kolkata, featuring a statue of SP Mookerjee. For the first time, Santosh Mitra Square will introduce a light-and-sound show.
Visitors will enter beneath a lotus-themed installation featuring Mother India and Lord Shiva, while the Durga idol will retain its traditional form.
3. Alipore Sarbojonin: Ramayana
Enter another BJP favourite, Lord Ram and the Ramayana.
Celebrating its 81st year, Alipore Sarbojanin Durgotsav in south Kolkata’s Chetla area has unveiled Ramayana: An Epic Woven in Time as its theme for this year’s Durga Puja. The pandal will chronologically narrate the epic, tracing Lord Ram’s journey from exile to Akal Bodhan, the untimely invocation of Goddess Durga—the event regarded as the mythological origin of the autumnal Durga Puja—before his battle with Ravana.
Currently, scenes from the epic are coming alive through paintings all across the pandal’s façade and a huge replica of a boat can be seen in front, on which live performances will reportedly be held.
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Interestingly, Chorebagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity in north Kolkata has also revealed Akal Bodhon as its theme for its 91st Durga Puja celebrations. The theme highlights the pivotal Ramayana episode in which Lord Rama invokes Goddess Durga out of season, seeking her blessings ahead of the war against Ravana.
4. Chaltabagan Lohapatty: Ramnami Samaj
Speaking of Ram, the Manicktala Chaltabagan Lohapatty Durga Puja, in its 84th year, has visualised a powerful cultural experience with its theme “Nishan — The Mark”. The pandal is reportedly an artistic tribute to the Ramnami Samaj of Chhattisgarh—a centuries-old devotional community that historically tattooed the name of Lord Ram across their skin to peacefully protest against caste exclusion.
Visitors walking into the acclaimed north Kolkata puja this year can expect an immersive, thought-provoking environment. The pandal promises to transform into a living canvas, mimicking the detailed bodily inscriptions of the Ramnami people to tell a story of faith, identity, and resilience.
A captivating, custom soundtrack has been composed by Grammy-winning classical maestro Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt to heighten the emotional journey, filling the space with meditative, traditional resonance.
5. Sreebhumi Sporting Club: Hawa Mahal
Sreebhumi Sporting Club—famed for its larger-than-life Durga idols decorated with massive quantities of pure gold and diamond jewellery during former TMC minister Sujit Bose’s tenure as the club president—has chosen Jaipur’s iconic Hawa Mahal as the theme for its Durga Puja this year.
The committee has been constituted after Bose’s Assembly election defeat and jail and BJP leader Kanak Debnath has been appointed committee president.
The puja pandal in Kolkata’s north-eastern parts is set to recreate the famed red-and-pink sandstone palace in Jaipur, known for its distinctive honeycomb façade and 953 windows. The decorator’s team even made a visit to Jaipur for a survey of the 227-year-old structure. Latest videos show more than half of the pandal ready, with carved pillars and colourful windows gradually giving shape to Hawa Mahal.
6. Ekdalia Evergreen Club: Somnath Temple
Once known as (the late) Subrata Mukherjee’s puja, Ekdalia Evergreen Club, one of the most famous pujas of south Kolkata, is all set to recreate Gujarat’s Somnath Temple in its 84th year.
Known for its traditional Durga idol and big-budget themes, Ekdalia had brought the Arunachalesvara Temple to Kolkata last year. This time, the first among the 12 sacred Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva will descend upon the City of Joy.
7. Ballygunge Samaj Sebi Sangha: Uttam Kumar
In a refreshing break, Ballygunge Samaj Sebi Sangha, a notable pandal in south Kolkata that was once closely associated with Bengali cinema legend Uttam Kumar, will celebrate this year’s Durga Puja with a theme dedicated to him in his centenary year. The pandal will recreate the life, works and enduring legacy of the actor who remains Bengal’s quintessential romantic hero.
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Titled Mahapujay Mahanayak, the pandal will transport visitors through key moments of Uttam Kumar’s cinematic journey, from his early struggles to his rise as Tollywood’s biggest star. The theme will feature vintage film posters, rare photographs, iconic dialogues and memorable scenes from classics such as Saptapadi, Nayak, Agnishwar and Deya Neya.
The organisers reportedly aim to showcase both the screen icon and the man behind the legend, offering younger generations an insight into his enduring appeal. Artists from the Government College of Art and Craft are recreating the visual aesthetics of his era, while the Durga idol will be fashioned in the style seen at the Puja during the 1960s and 1970s, when Uttam Kumar himself was a regular visitor to the pandal.
8. Kumartuli Park: Journey of Ganga
Drawing inspiration from the sacred journey of the Ganga, Kumartuli Park Sarbojanin, in its 34th year, has chosen the river as its theme for this Durga Puja.
Located in north Kolkata’s famed 300-year-old idol-making hub, the puja aims to recreate the river’s journey from its origin at the snow-clad Gangotri glacier in the Himalayas to its final meeting with the sea.
The organisers reportedly plan to transform the pandal into an immersive experience that will capture the sights, sounds and spirit of a flowing mountain river. Through elaborate décor, lighting and ambient music, visitors will be taken through the Ganga’s passage across mountains, plains and human settlements.
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Beyond its religious significance, the theme will reportedly highlight the river’s role as a symbol of life, spirituality and liberation in Indian culture, as well as its contribution to sustaining civilisation for centuries.
9. Jagat Mukherjee Park: Uday Shankar
Marking its landmark 90th year, the historic Jagat Mukherjee Park Durga Puja on Jatindra Mohan Avenue in north Kolkata has completely transformed its canvas for 2026, unveiling a grand cultural tribute dedicated to the legendary pioneer of modern Indian dance, Pandit Uday Shankar.
Renowned for introducing Kolkata’s very first theme puja back in 1959, the committee has moved away from its recent high-tech concepts to deliver a deeply research-driven artistic installation. The theme intricately explores the intersection of dance, society, and politics, highlighting how Shankar fused traditional Indian classical dance with Western theatrical styles to project Indian heritage onto the global stage.
Visually, the pandal will reportedly draw heavy inspiration from Shankar’s iconic 1948 dance-drama film, Kalpana. The structure will operate as a walk-through gallery, tracing the evolution of Indian art from ancient cave paintings (guha chitra) to traditional scroll arts (patachitra), illustrating how these visual heritages shaped modern choreography and physical movement.
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10. Shibmandir Sarbojonin: Gangaur
Marking their 90th anniversary, the crowd-puller Shibmandir Sarbojanin Durgotsav Samiti in south Kolkata has announced “Porob: The Celebration of Togetherness” as its theme for Durga Puja 2026. This year’s pandal theme draws deep structural and cultural inspiration from Rajasthan’s traditional Gangaur folk festival.
The pandal, near Rabindra Sarobar, will reportedly creatively reinterpret Gangaur’s veneration of Goddess Gauri, a powerful manifestation of Shakti. Visitors can expect a spectacular, high-energy environment featuring vibrant folk artwork, brilliant illumination, and traditional wooden motifs that mirror the iconic Rajasthani festival processions.
