States » EastPosted at: Oct 20 2026 12:42PM


Community feasts, pandal-hopping mark Mahanavami celebrations in Bengal

Kolkata, Oct 20 (UNI) Community feasts and visits to relatives’ homes for lunch were the two quintessential traditions that marked the spirit of Mahanavami on Tuesday, the penultimate day of Durga Puja across West Bengal.
The festival, which usually spans five days, was observed over six days this year, according to the puja almanac, with both Saturday and Sunday being celebrated as Maha Saptami.
At puja marquees and households worshipping the Goddess, people partook of bhog, food offered to the deity before being served to devotees. The spread ranged from luchis (deep-fried puffed bread) and khichuri to an assortment of vegetable dishes, fish and even mutton.
Men, mostly dressed in festive kurtas, and women in vibrant saris exchanged greetings with friends, relatives and acquaintances, clicked selfies, and enjoyed light-hearted banter, immersing themselves in the festive spirit.
The religious observances of Mahanavami, which falls on the ninth lunar day of the bright fortnight of Ashwin, started at 10.51 am on October 19, after the end of Sandhi Puja held at the confluence of Mahaashtami (eighth lunar day) and Mahanavami.
Navami will conclude at 12.50 pm on Tuesday, October 20.
According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Durga slew the asuras (demons) Chanda and Munda at the juncture between Ashtami and Navami, known as Sandhi. The Goddess was worshipped as the invincible divine force, with devotees offering her favourite food items.
The rituals were followed by Maha Aarti. In several traditional households celebrating Durga Puja, yagna (a ritual performed before a sacred fire) was conducted before the morning worship came to an end.
Meanwhile, large crowds of revellers began gathering at puja marquees early in the morning to seek darshan of Goddess Durga. Several community puja pandals in and around Kolkata witnessed a steady influx of visitors, many of whom appeared eager to cover as many venues as possible before the festivities conclude on Wednesday with the immersion of idols on Vijaya Dashami.
The marquee at Santosh Mitra Square in Kolkata’s Bowbazar area, which was awarded “Serar Sera” (Best of the Best) in the ‘Devi Durga Samman 2026’ announced by the West Bengal government, continued to draw huge crowds on Tuesday morning. The pandal depicted the theme Vande Mataram through its intricate design and grand architectural scale, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the country’s national song.
Other puja committees that continued to witness heavy footfall on Navami morning included Kashi Bose Lane in north Kolkata’s Hatibagan area, which represented the theme Adim, meaning “The Primitive Origin”, and Ajeya Sanhati, one of the prominent puja committees in the southern part of the city, which depicted the theme Sarvangsaha (“The Endurance”), an ode to patience and strength.
Durga Puja is the largest annual festival in this part of the world, bringing daily life to a near standstill as roads remain packed with revellers through the day and night, while newspaper publications also come to a halt.
However, this year, the festivities took a grim turn as at least 19 puja revellers were killed and several others injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening.
According to Bengali tradition, the festival begins on Shashthi (Friday), marking the arrival of Goddess Durga on Earth with her children, sons Kartik and Ganesha and daughters Saraswati and Lakshmi. The celebrations culminate on Vijaya Dashami (Wednesday), which coincides with Dussehra, observed in different parts of the country.
Goddess Durga is traditionally depicted astride a lion, slaying the demon Mahishasura while wielding weapons in her ten hands.
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Tags: #Community feasts# pandal-hopping mark Mahanavami celebrations in Bengal
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