In pictures: Kumari Puja at Belur Math, Lathi Khela at Bagbazar and other unforgettable Durga Puja moments

Kumari Puja being at Belur Math on Friday. This ritual was also held in other centres of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. A young girl, typically under the age of 10, is worshipped to honour the divine strength of Goddess Durga embodied in every girl

Baghbazar Sarbojonin’s Durga Puja celebrations featured the age-old traditional Bengali martial art known as ‘Lathi Khela’. This year, it was once again held on Ashtami, with two women showcasing the art form, representing strength, power and self-defence skills

Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee offered Ashtami’s ‘pushpanjali’ at the Hazra Park Durga Puja pandal on Friday

As Saptami night transitioned into Ashtami, pandal-hoppers were seen across the city, snapping photos of Puja celebrations on their smartphones. In the picture, visitors at Dakshinpara Sarbajanin Durga Utsav pandal in Dumdum

When it comes to creativity, the themes of Durga Puja pandals only get better. Rekindling childhood nostalgia, Baghajatin Maitri Sansad this year presented ‘Barno Porichoy’ through their theme ‘Sriti Kotha’, imagined by artist Rajkumar Pramanick

On the other hand, the theme at the Hindustan Club Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal paid tribute to Kolkata’s iconic hand-pulled rickshaws and their pullers

Portraying the theme of ‘Mashan’, artist Halley Goswami has showcased remarkable creativity in designing an impactful Durga Puja pandal for Bakul Bagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab

At a local fair, a young boy tried his hand at rifle shooting, aiming to win a prize by bursting balloons