Kolkata Durga Puja 2026: Mahabharata To AI, Check Out These Two Epic Pandals In Salt Lake, New Town

Kolkata Durga Puja 2026 brings massive surprises this year. Pandals in EC Block and New Town are grabbing eyeballs with unique themes ranging from the epic Mahabharata to Artificial Intelligence

Image Credit : ANI

Saltlake, New Town

Kolkata Durga Puja 2026 brings massive surprises this year. Pandals in EC Block and New Town are grabbing eyeballs with unique themes ranging from the epic Mahabharata to Artificial Intelligence.

Image Credit : ANI

Mahabharata Theme

EC Block Residents Association is celebrating its golden jubilee this year. The organizers picked the epic Mahabharata as their special theme. The pandal sets up a grand exhibition to show 18 chapters of the Mahabharata. Visitors will spot major events and characters from the epic right here. The creators have beautifully crafted powerful scenes like the Kurukshetra war and Bhishma Pitamah's death.

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Lord Ganesh

Visitors will first spot Lord Ganesha writing the Mahabharata right at the pandal entrance. The exhibition wraps up with Yudhishthira heading to Hastinapur after the war. A staircase to heaven stands right next to this scene.

This display will definitely bring back old TV memories for people who grew up watching the Mahabharata. The organizers also want to introduce this epic to the younger crowd. The Goddess Durga idol looks very different here and stands as a symbol of peace.

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Artists Made Pandal In 3 Months

Artists took three solid months to build this massive pandal. The creators and organizers planned this special theme to mark the 50th anniversary of the association.

EC Block Residents Association secretary Maulinath Maji spoke to ANI about this. He said, "We picked the Mahabharata as our theme this time. No other pandal has done this before. We are showing 18 chapters of the epic here. We are presenting the entire Indian epic through this exhibition alongside Goddess Durga. You will see Lord Ganesha writing the Mahabharata right in front of the Goddess. We start from here and end with Yudhishthira going to Hastinapur. We also placed a staircase as the chariot for the Goddess to reach heaven."

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Nostalgia

This grand exhibition will surely trigger nostalgia for everyone who watched the Mahabharata on television. The organizers mainly aim to present this epic to the new generation. The Goddess Durga idol stands as a symbol of peace in this unique setup.

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Durga

Maji further added, "Visitors will recall their old memories of watching the Mahabharata on TV. The new generation will also get a clear idea about the epic. The Goddess Durga idol represents peace here. The team took three months to complete this pandal. The artists and organizers executed this special concept to make our 50th year truly memorable."

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AI theme

A New Town Durga Puja pandal takes a completely different route while EC Block focuses on the Mahabharata. This pandal wants to connect Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha with ancient Indian knowledge and traditions. Their theme highlights AI, space research, technology, and modern medical science.

New Town Sanatani Durgapuja organizes this pandal. They named their theme 'Sanatan Se Vigyan' (Sanatan to Science). The pandal creates a beautiful blend of Goddess Durga and science. Visitors will see AI, robots, and modern social progress alongside the Goddess Durga idol.

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Suvendu Adhukari

New Town Sanatani Durgapuja organizer Barun Biswas shared the backstory with ANI. He said, "Current Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari invited us in 2022 and suggested we organize a Durga Puja in New Town. We started this puja exactly like that. We organized the puja with court permission in 2022. We had to approach the court again in 2023. However, the government did not give us permission to hold the puja in 2024 and 2025."

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Theme

Barun also added, "Then Leader of Opposition Suvendu inaugurated this puja every year. Moreover, our puja name includes the word Sanatani. The previous government did not cooperate with us for these reasons. But we are organizing the puja on a grand scale this year. Our theme is Sanatan Se Vigyan. We want to teach the younger generation how science connects with Sanatan traditions through the discoveries of ancient sages."

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Durga Puja

Durga Puja stands as one of the biggest festivals for Hindus. People celebrate this festival with immense devotion and enthusiasm in West Bengal and other parts of India. The puja commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura. This symbolizes the ultimate triumph of good over evil. People from all walks of life come together under one roof during this multi-day festival. They enjoy beautiful pandals, artistic idols, cultural events, traditional rituals, and devotional songs.

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Kolkata During Durga Puja

Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami, and Vijaya Dashami are the most important days of this puja. The festival goes way beyond religious significance. It celebrates artistic expression, cultural heritage, public participation, and a strong message of unity.