Kolkata Durga Puja 2026: pandals, themes and a map

2026 news and theme highlights

Hand-picked from published reports, not live social-media trends. Upcoming / on now / over is worked out from your device’s date.

• 7 Sep – 21 Oct

  No Red Road carnival this year

  West Bengal

  State announcement: no post-Dashami carnival, no alcohol sales at shops on Ashtami, no DJs at pandals or immersions, no cranes at immersion.

  Source: The Week: No more carnival, no alcohol on Maha Ashtami, no DJ in puja pandals (7 Sep) · Last checked 10 Oct

• 10 Oct

  Mahalaya

  Kolkata · Eden Gardens

  Devi Paksha begins. The state’s Puja inauguration is planned at Eden Gardens with a drone show (as announced).

  Source: The Week: No more carnival, no alcohol on Maha Ashtami, no DJ in puja pandals (7 Sep), Hindutone: Durga Puja 2026 dates (Kolkata, per Drik Panchang) (6 Oct) · Last checked 10 Oct

• 15–21 Oct

  Kolkata Metro runs overnight for Puja

  Kolkata Metro

  Saptami to Navami (17–20 Oct): Blue Line 1 pm to 4 am, Green Line 1:30 pm to 3:59 am. Dashami: Blue Line 1 pm to 10:30 pm.

  Source: India TV: Kolkata Metro to run special services on five corridors during Durga Puja (8 Oct) · Last checked 10 Oct

• As reported17–21 Oct

  Durga Puja 2026: Shashthi to Dashami

  West Bengal

  Shashthi 17 Oct, Saptami 18, Ashtami 19, Navami 20, Bijoya Dashami 21 Oct. Some calendars differ by a day.

  Source: Hindutone: Durga Puja 2026 dates (Kolkata, per Drik Panchang) (6 Oct) · Last checked 10 Oct

• As reported17–21 Oct

  Santosh Mitra Square

  Lebutala, Sealdah

  Theme: 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’; first light-and-sound show

  Source: The Federal: Kolkata Durga Puja 2026 top 10 theme pandals (7 Oct) · Last checked 10 Oct · See in directory

• As reported17–21 Oct

  Alipore Sarbojanin

  Alipore

  Theme: ‘Ramayana: An Epic Woven in Time’

  Source: The Federal: Kolkata Durga Puja 2026 top 10 theme pandals (7 Oct) · Last checked 10 Oct · See in directory

All news and plans →

The list: 39 pandals

Sources, year and status are on each entry's page. Area grouping is approximate.

Questions

When is Durga Puja 2026 in Kolkata?

As reported: Shashthi 17 Oct, Saptami 18, Ashtami 19, Navami 20 and Bijoya Dashami 21 Oct 2026, with Mahalaya on 10 Oct. Some calendars differ by a day, so check your own panjika.

How late does the Kolkata Metro run during Puja?

As announced, from Saptami to Navami (17–20 Oct) the Blue Line runs 1 pm to 4 am and the Green Line 1:30 pm to 3:59 am; on Dashami the Blue Line runs 1 pm to 10:30 pm. The source is in the news section on this page.

Which are the best theme pandals in Kolkata in 2026?

Reported 2026 themes include Sreebhumi's Hawa Mahal, Ekdalia's Somnath Temple, Santosh Mitra Square's 'Vande Mataram', Ballygunge Samaj Sebi Sangha's Uttam Kumar tribute, Kumartuli Park's journey of the Ganga and Chaltabagan Lohapatty's 'Nishan'. All are 'as reported'; the organisers' announcements are final.

How do I plan a night of pandal-hopping?

On the Local Puja page, pick where you're starting, a vibe and a time, and a route appears in 20 seconds; you can turn it into a plan card for friends. North (Kumartuli, Shyambazar) and south (Ballygunge, Rashbehari) are hard to combine in one night, so pick a side.

How accurate are the map pins?

Pins are at area or city level, not the exact spot, and each shows its source. The Get-directions button on every pandal page opens Google Maps by name and address, which is more precise.