World tourism day + Durga Puja: 8 things to do when you visit Kolkata during PUJO

Durga Puja is a Hindu festival which is prominently celebrated in Kolkata. It is celebrated to mark the victory of Maa Durga over the demon Mahishasura. Many rituals and pujas take place during this time, from September to October. 

Durga Puja is celebrated as Navaratri or Dussehra in other parts of the country. During this time in Kolkata, idols of Devi Durga are handcrafted, and these idols are used for worship.  It will be a delight to visit Kolkata during this time, and if you do, here are some things you should do. 

Pandal hopping 
People would have installed thousands of pandals during this time. Each of these pedals will have its own unique theme and decorations, which will be colourful, but some of them can be quirky too. But it will be a memorable and great experience to see different pandals.  Standing in line and travelling a distance appear to be worthwhile when you view the stunning pandal and the idol of the goddess Durga.

Bonedi Bari tour  
Bonedi Bari is a tour of the traditional mansions of affluent aristocratic families that have been hosting grand poojas for centuries. This can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Sovabazar Raj Bari and Rani Rashmoni Bari are some of the most popular rajbaris. 

Attend the Maha Shashti 
Drug Pujo is celebrated on a very big scale in Kolkata. Maha Shashti is the first day of the five auspicious days of Durga Puja. It falls on October 1. You will see many pandals doing this pooja as a grand gesture. 

Attend the Kola Bou Bath ceremony on Saptami 
Saptami or the ay two is celebrated with the bathing ceremony. A banana tree is dressed as a bird and is bathed in the Hoogly river as an invocation to the goddess Durga. The rituals begin early in the morning and end before dawn. You can see this ceremony at Prinsep, Bagh Bazar and Ahiritola ghats. 

Dhunuchi dance
On day three, the devotional Dhunuchi dance is performed. The sight of this dance is spectacular, and you should not miss it. You can be at one of the significant pandal to witness this dance. This can be a fantastic experience you can enjoy thoroughly.

Yummy Food
The point of celebrating is not complete without indulging in delicious cuisine. You can consume a variety of dishes, including desserts like mithi doi and fast food like puchka. The menu offers a wide variety of classic Bengali cuisine, both vegetarian and not. Over these five days, community pandals and organised events put up numerous food stalls and buffets.

Light up the city
Beautiful lights are used to mark the event and embellish both the people and the city. Everything in the city is illuminated during the five-day celebrations, from pandals to temples to homes.

Sindoorkhela celebrates
Although the red and white sari look for Vijay Dashami (Dusshera) may have been over-glamorised by Bollywood, the day Bengalis bid Goddess Durga goodbye must be witnessed. Sindoorkhela celebrates Dashami with ladies donning the customary "laal paad shada saree." It represents the triumph of virtue over evil. Maa Durga is reported to visit her husband, Lord Shiva on Mount Kailash on this day.