It starts with a whiff of paint at Kumartuli, and with bamboo structures mushrooming around the city. These are some unmistakable signs that Durga Puja is on its way. In Kolkata, Pujo doesn’t arrive unannounced. The city prepares like a bride, one ritual at a time. Here are five classic signs that the biggest celebration of the year is only 62 days away.
1. Khunti pujo commences the festive feelings
The journey to Pujo begins with the sacred “Khunti Pujo,” when para committees perform rituals to mark the start of pandal construction. It’s a festive gathering with dhaak, flowers, and sweets. This age-old tradition not only signals the start of preparations, but also the collective joy of neighbourhoods coming together. Above, Khunti Pujo at New Town Sarbojonin.
2. Kumartuli is bustling with life
Kumartuli, Kolkata’s idol gully, comes alive with a flurry of clay, straw, and divine energy by late monsoon. Rows of half-formed idols line the alleys, with artisans shaping gods with incredible skill. The smell of wet clay mixed with incense sticks burning and the sight of blue tarpaulin-covered workshops buzzing with life are signs that Ma Durga is preparing for her homecoming.
3. Pandals start to take shape
One day, it’s just a traffic island; the next, bamboo structures appear overnight. Kolkata’s pandals go up like mushrooms. From traditional themes to architectural wonders, each structure begins with the familiar clatter of hammers and a maze of ropes. Whether it’s in Salt Lake or Sovabazar, the slow reveal of a pandal-in-progress never fails to thrill locals. Above, pandal coming up at Babubagan Durgaotsav.
4. Festive hoardings fill the skyline
The city skyline begins to change, not with buildings, but with colourful advertising hoardings. Brands launch their ‘Pujo Special’ campaigns, housing societies announce cultural evenings, and every crossing seems to shout “Sharodiyar Subhechha”. The visual clutter, which might be annoying any other time, is oddly comforting now — like an invitation to be part of something joyful, familiar and collective.
5. Shoppers crowd Gariahat, New Market and Hatibagan
The real madness begins when the shopping bags multiply and footpaths vanish under human feet. Gariahat, New Market, and Hatibagan turn into buzzing epicentres of bargaining, trend-spotting and snack-hopping. Families hop from sari shops to shoe stalls, hunting for the perfect ‘Pujor Jama’. The chaos, colours, and crowd may be overwhelming, but for Kolkatans, this rush is pure nostalgia.