Kolkata’s Durga Puja, hailed as the world’s largest public art festival, is set to take another leap forward this autumn. MassArt, the socio-cultural organisation behind the Preview Show of Durga Puja Art (PSDPA), announced that the fourth edition of the showcase will run from September 18 to 22, 2025, at the Alipore Museum. This year’s programme will combine Bengal’s artistry with a landmark accessibility initiative supported by UNESCO and IIT Kharagpur, while also opening a new platform for community artisans on the global stage.
Since its inception in 2022, the preview show has offered an exclusive first glimpse of the city’s most iconic puja installations before the festival formally begins. Over the years, it has transformed into an international cultural bridge, attracting diplomats, art lovers, and curators from across the world. “The preview show of Durga Puja Art is much more than a pre-puja event. It is a living bridge between Bengal’s traditions and the global stage,” said Dhrubajyoti Bose Suvo, secretary of MassArt, at the announcement.
A key feature of the 2025 edition will be the Autumn Art Fair, where art objects crafted by community artisans — each aligned with the themes of 24 iconic puja venues — will be showcased and made available for purchase. Organisers say the fair is designed to foster B2B and B2C tie-ups and to pave the way for Bengal’s artisans to gain exposure at international platforms such as the India Art Fair, Art Dubai, and Art Basel.
Beyond commerce and culture, accessibility will take centre stage this year. The state government has stepped in following a request from UNESCO to address one of the festival’s most pressing challenges: making Kolkata’s crowded pandals easier to navigate for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Kausik Basak, IAS, special commissioner & E.O, director of Culture, Information and Cultural Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal, stressed the urgency of the initiative. “Even we find it very difficult to move around Kolkata during Puja. For the physically challenged or elderly, it is next to impossible. With UNESCO and IIT Kharagpur, we hope to create a pilot model with 24 Puja committees this year, and gradually extend it city-wide,” he said.
At the heart of the project is a set of guidelines and prototype designs being developed by IIT Kharagpur. Haimanti Banerji, professor in the Department of Architecture and Regional Planning at IIT Kharagpur, explained that accessibility extends beyond ramps. “Just by providing ramps you take care of physical access, but there are also psychological barriers — crowd management, emergency evacuation, signage, and communication. Our guidelines will address both the physical and psychological comfort of visitors so that no one is left behind,” she said.
The initiative will be piloted across 24 of the city’s most prominent puja sites, with the involvement of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Fire and Emergency Services, Tourism, and other key stakeholders. Organisers emphasise that this year’s model will be pragmatic and scalable, with plans to expand coverage in future editions.
Durga Puja Art 2025, then, is poised to be more than a preview: it is set to be a statement of Bengal’s cultural ambition, its inclusivity, and its determination to showcase community creativity to the world. As MassArt prepares to once again turn Kolkata into an “open-air gallery,” the festival’s global journey enters a new chapter where art, access, and heritage converge.