Durga Puja
Durga Puja is the largest festival of Bengal — a five-day worship of Goddess Durga celebrated in the month of Ashshin (September/October), recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021.
Durga Puja 1433 BS dates
| Day | English date | Day of week |
|---|---|---|
| Mahalaya | September 16, 2026 | Wednesday |
| Maha Shashthi (Durga Puja) | September 26, 2026 | Saturday |
| Maha Saptami | September 27, 2026 | Sunday |
| Maha Ashtami | September 28, 2026 | Monday |
| Maha Nabami | September 29, 2026 | Tuesday |
| Bijoya Dashami | September 30, 2026 | Wednesday |
| Maha Shivratri | February 27, 2027 | Saturday |
The five days of Durga Puja
- Mahalaya
- Marks the start of Devi Paksha and the invocation of Goddess Durga.
- Maha Shashthi
- Sixth day; the goddess is welcomed with Bodhon, Amantran and Adhibas rituals.
- Maha Saptami
- Seventh day; the kola bou is bathed at dawn and the goddess is worshipped.
- Maha Ashtami
- Eighth day — Sandhi Puja, Pushpanjali and Kumari Puja, the most important day.
- Maha Nabami
- Ninth day; final aarti and the great feast (bhog) is offered.
- Bijoya Dashami
- Tenth day — Sindur Khela and the immersion (bisarjan) of the idol.
About Durga Puja
Durga Puja celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. In Bengal, communities erect elaborate pandals housing artistic clay idols of Durga slaying Mahishasura, flanked by her four children — Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh. The five days of Puja are a public festival of art, music, food, fashion and devotion. Schools, colleges and offices remain closed for several days across West Bengal.
Important rituals
- Bodhon — the awakening of the goddess on Shashthi.
- Sandhi Puja — the most sacred 48 minutes spanning Ashtami and Nabami.
- Kumari Puja — the worship of a young girl as a living embodiment of the goddess.
- Sindur Khela — married women smear vermilion on each other on Dashami.
- Bisarjan — immersion of the idol in a river or pond at the close of Dashami.