Visit Kolkata during Durga Puja. Durga Puja is one of the most important holidays in West Bengal, and Kolkata is where it is celebrated with the most energy. The festival marks the five-day return of Goddess Durga from Mount Kailash to her home with her husband. As the goddess beats the demon Mahishasura, it celebrates good winning over evil.
People say, “Come to Kolkata if you want to see a city with a heart!”
“That’s so nice! And it looks nice. They were right when they said that Kolkata was the City of Joy. This city has everything you could want to make you happy, from its rich culture, which it still holds on to very firmly, to its delicious food, to its architectural history, to the places that are popular with tourists, and so much more.
People all over the world love Kolkata’s culture, but the way people get along with each other makes the city feel alive. The town tries to keep a mix of old traditions and cultures, modern education, and intellectual wealth! Because of this, many people call this city “The intellectual capital of India,” which we think is entirely accurate. So, if you want to see this fantastic Indian city, go to Durga Puja. This is the time of year when the city is full of new life and energy, decked out with lights like a bride in her wedding dress and welcoming like a grandmother.
Best weather to enjoy in Kolkata
Kolkata is proud of its mild and pleasant weather all year, except for a few months of hot weather in the summer. Since the weather is always moderately lovely, you can visit this city at any time of the year. However, the mild winters might be the best time to travel to Kolkata to see the city. But the weather is also lovely in the fall when the Durga Puja celebrations are going on.
Best time to visit Kolkata
Kolkata is a great place to visit any time of the year, but if you want to see its true spirit, you should come here during a festival. The main festival, Durga Puja, is held annually in the fall. When the city dresses up like a blushing bride, and there are parties and a rainbow of happiness everywhere.
Durga Puja in Kolkata
Visit Kolkata during the celebrations for Durga Puja if you want to see how much tradition and culture are a part of the city. These are just a few of the numbers! It’s hard to find the right words to describe how happy everyone is and how busy the place is. Start your trip precisely one week before the cool stuff starts.
Watch the idols
When you look into the eyes of a Durga idol, do you often get teary? Have you ever thought about where everything goes on? In Kumurtali, which is in North Kolkata, you are lucky enough to be able to oversee the artisans making an idol of the goddess Durga. It is a special place for these people who make things. And if you’re lucky enough to be here during the Chokkhu Daan ceremony, you’ll see the eyes drawn to these very holy idols.
Look at how pretty the pandals are
While most individuals attend a temple for their Durga Puja celebrations, some may celebrate at home. On the other hand, there will be some stunningly lit and decked pandals for this puja. Everything in the vicinity of these Pandals is huge and thrilling, and the decorations and glamour remain the same for the entire week until the celebration ends. Each of these pandals is unique in appearance and requires a great deal of expertise and hard work to complete. The enjoyment is the result of months of hard effort by a large group of workers who gather together to create it.
Shop at the nearby stands
During Durga Puja, when there are so many celebrations in the city, it makes sense that many travellers, tourists, and religious people will visit the city. That’s when you’ll see a rush of local stalls and shops in this city stocking up for a perfect time for business. You already know that Kolkata is known for its handmade jute goods, tea, terracotta, sarees, and much more. Each region has its own unique crafts.
Even if you don’t like shopping much, the crowds and noise in Kolkata’s shopping areas will make you feel happy and festive.
Take part in the ceremony
If you didn’t participate in the celebrations, it wouldn’t make sense to go to Kolkata to learn about and experience this well-known festival firsthand. One of the most important things to do in Kolkata, for sure. Don’t worry; the people there will welcome you with open arms and be happy to tell you about the rules and customs.
Enjoy the Bengali Bhog
You don’t have to go to a temple to eat Bengali Bhog (an offering to the gods). You can also get it at restaurants, or street food stands. Now, eliminate the idea that the blog will only contain Bengali sweets. But the restaurants in this city do a great job of making tasty mixed vegetable curry, fried foods, rice dishes, and much more, which is a real treat to eat. On the way to the Pandals and temples in Kolkata, there are many places to eat if you like the local food. Try the egg rolls, fish fries, and anything else that sounds good to you. Then, taste the delicious Bengali sweets to end on a sweet note.
Taking their time on the roads this time of year
The streets of Kolkata become congested and backed up during the puja. Yes, thousands of police and security officers are deployed to keep the public safe and keep the transportation system running smoothly. However, this causes more traffic, more pedestrians, and the closing of lanes and side streets.
Enjoy guided tours that take you through the streets of the city.
If you get nervous about how many people will be there and how busy the roads will be, look into guided tours. You will be helped by the government tourism department and even some private operators. During this time, many guided tours are set up for locals and tourists.
You can choose to see Pujo at heritage places, take a cruise down the Ganges to watch the celebrations from afar, jump from one pandal to the next, or take part in heritage walks and food trails.
All these things will give you a good idea of what the celebrations are like. This year, because of the COVID situation, people are talking about setting up drive-in tours so that people can see the pandal and deity from the safety of their clean cars without putting their health and hygiene at risk.
Where to go in Kolkata
Visit the city’s top attractions like the Victoria Memorial, Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Marble Palace, Eden Gardens, St. Paul Cathedral, Princep Ghat, the Planetarium, the Indian Museum, and many more after witnessing and appreciating the city’s famous Durga Puja. These are the top tourist destinations in Kolkata, and for good reason.
If you need to take a break from the celebrations, you could visit nearby places like the Sundarbans Wildlife Sanctuary or Darjeeling (Queen of Hills) in Kolkata. And it’s easy to rent a Taxi from Bharat Taxi in Kolkata, call +91 9696000999, and a vehicle will be on its way in minutes.
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