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Durga Puja is one of the biggest Hindu festivals in India. It’s a joyful 5 days of pandal hopping, food, shopping and spending time with family and friends. While the biggest celebrations are in Kolkata, Durga Puja is massively celebrated in Delhi NCR (national capital region), by the large Bengali community. I live in Delhi and enjoying the festivities of Durga Puja is something I look forward to every year. If you are lucky enough to be in Delhi at this time do not miss Durga Puja!
Best Places and Ways to Celebrate Durga Puja in Delhi: Quick List
If you are in a hurry, here’s a quick list of the best places and ways to enjoy Durga Puja in Delhi:
- pandal hop in Chittaranjan Park (CR Park)
- visit Kali Bari temple
- eat biryani and fish fry at Oh! Calcutta
- visit Annapurna Sweets for sondesh
- stay at Eros Hotel New Delhi (luxury) or Home@F37 (mid-range)
The 5 Best Places to Celebrate Durga Puja in Delhi
These are the best pandals (special built displays) to visit during Durga Puja in Delhi NCR. Pandals get busier at night and as each day of Durga Puja passes. If you want to avoid the worst of the crowds, visit the pandals during the early afternoon and as early in Durga Puja as possible.
1. Chittaranjan Park (CR Park)
Also known as mini Bengal, CR Park should be your first stop for an authentic Durga Puja experience. This is basically ground zero for Durga Puja in Delhi and you don’t need to go anywhere else to properly celebrate the festival.
This is where you will witness the traditional dance of Durga Puja, the Dhunuchi Nach. There are many locations within CR Park to celebrate the festival, and I’ve listed them below.
The best way to get to CR Park during Durga Puja is to take the Delhi metro. The nearest metro station to CR Park is Greater Kailash on the Magenta line. The Delhi metro is one of the best systems in the world and very easy to use. It’s also often the fastest way to move across the city. See my complete guide on how to use the Delhi metro.
Greater Kailash II Puja Ground
Although not officially part of CR Park, it is the first pandal you will see if you arrive by metro (which I highly recommend), while making your way to CR Park.
K Block Puja Grounds
This pandal is opposite the Greater Kailash pandal grounds and is one of the best in Delhi. There are plenty of food stands and you can see a cultural show here.
Kali Mandir
Kali Mandir is the main temple in CR Park and every year it hosts an elaborate pandal. You can eat and shop for jewelry or knick knacks at one of the many stands behind the temple.
Pocket 52 Puja Grounds
Don’t miss this small but impressive pandal. It’s one of the most artistic ones in CR Park.
Co-operative Puja Grounds
This pandal has a different theme each year. It’s one of the most famous in CR Park. There’s also lots of food stalls and vendors selling everything from clothing to household items. Co-operative Grounds is located in J Block.
D Block and E Block Puja Grounds
These two authentic pandals are opposite each other.
Mela Grounds
This is the busiest pandal in CR Park. The grounds are huge and have a number of vendors and crafts people from Bengal. The pandal is one of the most famous and largest in Delhi.
Pocket 40 Puja Grounds
You’ll find lovely pandals and cultural shows here, including the famous dance of Durga Puja, the Dhunuchi Nach.
Block B Puja Grounds
Your last stop should be here at this very popular pandal.
The easiest way to pandal hop within CR Park is to either walk or take an auto rickshaw. Because this is such a popular area during Durga Puja, traffic will be incredibly slow.
2. Matri Mandir in Safdarung Enclave
Matri Mandir hosts one of the best loved Durga Puja pandals in New Delhi. It’s located in Block B2 (nearest metro station is Bhikaji Cama Place on the Pink line). Try traditional Bengali food from one of the stands behind the temple.
3. Minto Road near Rajiv Chowk
The Minto Road pandal has been here since 1940. It’s a very traditional pandal where you can see the famous Durga Puja dance, Dhunuchi Nach . Minto Road is near the Rajiv Chowk metro station on the Yellow and Blue lines.
4. Delhi Durga Puja Samiti at Kashmiri Gate
Located in North Delhi (but very close to Old Delhi), the pandal at Kashmiri Gate started in 1910 – it is the oldest Durga Puja in Delhi. It’s a gorgeous pandal and the goddess is decorated with gold and silver.
You’ll find this pandal at the Bengali Senior Secondary School on Alipur Road. The nearest metro station in Civil Lines on the Yellow line.
5. Kali Bari on Mandir Marg
This well known Hindu temple hosts a wonderful Durga Puja each year. The New Delhi Kali Mandir is dedicated to the goddess Kali who is an avatar of Durga, so this temple gets extremely busy during Durga Puja. The nearest metro stations are Shivaji Stadium on the Orange line and R K Ashram Marg on the Blue line.
What is Durga Puja?
Durga Puja is a Hindu religious festival which celebrates good over evil as the goddess Durga kills the evil demon king Mahishasura. Hindus believe this is when the goddess comes to her earthly abode to bless her devotees.
Durga is considered one of the most important goddesses. She is an aspect of Mahadevi (also called Devi), the primordial goddess and creator of the universe. Durga is associated with motherhood, strength and protection. Often seen as a beautiful woman with 10 arms each holding a weapon while riding a lion or tiger, she is one of the most protective and powerful deities in the Hindu faith.
During Durga Puja, Durga’s children, Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity), Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and music), Ganesha (the remover of obstacles, the god with the elephant head), and Kartikeya (god of war) are also worshipped. It is during this time that Durga visits her earthly home with her children and blesses her followers.
When is Durga Puja?
Durga Puja is celebrated in Delhi during the Hindu calendar month of Ashwin, which falls in September or October each year. The Hindu calendar is basically a lunar calendar so dates change year to year. Although Durga Puja is officially a 10 day festival, the last 5 days are the most important.
This year the dates of Durga Puja are Wednesday, October 9 to Sunday, October 13, 2024.
Chittaranjan Park: A Brief History
Chittaranjan Park is known as Delhi’s mini Bengal and ground zero of the Durga Puja festivities in Delhi.
When India was partitioned in 1947, the state of Bengal was divided into two: East Bengal (now Bangladesh) and West Bengal. East Bengal became part of Pakistan (West Bengal remained in India) which caused an influx of refugees into Delhi, the elite of East Bengal. This group, called the Bhadralok, demanded land for their community and were given what was then a forested area, far from the city centre. The area became a hub of Bengali culture and soon other Bengalis also migrated to this area, which is now known as CR Park.
The Bhadralok refugees instilled Bengali culture into CR Park by establishing their own newspaper and bringing their local cuisine and street snacks to the city. Durga Puja is the one time of year Bengalis can really celebrate and display their authentic culture throughout all of Delhi. It’s a great source of pride and unity for the Bengali community.
How is Durga Puja Celebrated in Delhi?
There are three main ways Durga Puja is celebrated in Delhi: visiting pandals to view Durga idols, eating and shopping. Sounds like fun, right?
Pandal Hopping in Delhi
Pandals are temporary displays of religious deities. For Durga Puja, special pandals are built and displayed each year throughout Delhi. It is often the same crew which returns year after year to build the pandal, and this can take weeks. The pandals are beautiful, but temporary works of art, built and designed by artisans from around India.
Pandal hopping is one of the most fun things to do during Durga Puja. Pandals can be very elaborate, full of festive colours and lights. The atmosphere is almost carnival-like, with throngs of people, food stands and stalls selling all sorts of things.
Where to Eat Bengali Food During Durga Puja
There are numerous food stands set up outside the pandals serving all kinds of Bengali specialties. Don’t be afraid to try the food from the stands – just avoid fish or meat and choose a stand that is busy with locals. You can read all about how to eat local and stay healthy here.
Try the traditional free community meal known as bhog if you are visiting the temples during the last few days of Durga Puja. Bhog is always vegetarian, and considered an offering to the goddess, Durga. It is served at lunchtime.
If you prefer a restaurant, some of the best in Delhi for Bengali food in Durga Puja are:
- Oh! Calcutta
- Bijoli Grill
- Amar Shonar Bangla (named after Bangladesh’s national anthem)
- Kolkata Biryani House
- Dadu Cutlet Shop (Bengali snacks)
Traditional Foods to Eat in Durga Puja
Food is a major part of Durga Puja. Unlike many Hindu religious festivals where fasting is an important aspect, Durga Puja has no gastronomic limits, even non-veg is not off limits. These are some of the dishes you should try during Durga Puja in Delhi.
- Kichuri – the most popular food during Durga Puja, it is a spiced blend of yellow dal and rice with vegetables.
- Fish – Bengalis love fish, it is an important part of their cuisine. Try fish fry, fish curry, fish chop and fish rolls.
- Kathi rolls – rolls of chicken, egg and/or veg made with flaky paranthas. This is the most popular street food in Kolkata, the capital of Bengal.
- Gughni – a curry made of white chick peas and spices, served with raw onion.
- Aloo kaabli – a chaat (snack) made with boiled potato, tamarind, cucumber, chick peas and spices.
- Lucchi – small puffed breads similar to puris but made with white flour.
- Biryani – a layered rice dish made with vegetables, spices and often meat or eggs.
- Sondesh – a Bengali sweet made from milk, sugar and jaggery.
Shopping for Durga Puja and What to Wear
Shopping is an integral part of the celebrations of Durga Puja. You’ll see lots of vendors outside the pandals during Durga Puja selling religious deities, jewelry, clothing and household items.
It is traditional for women to wear different sarees for each day of Durga Puja. A lot of planning can go into the daily outfits, with each day requiring different types or colours of sarees.
Indian women traditionally wear a white saree with a red border on the day of Ashtami during Durga Puja. On this day married women will apply vermilion on each other.
If you are visiting India you may not have sarees or Indian clothing, and it absolutely fine to wear Western clothes. But, if you want to have a more cultural experience, purchase a few kurtis (long tunic style tops) and wear over jeans or leggings. You’ll see stalls sending Indian clothing near the pandals. Other good places to purchase reasonably priced ethnic wear is Central Market Lajpat Nagar or a Fab India shop.
Best Time to Visit the Pandals
Durga Puja is a major festival and brings out thousands of people. If you want to avoid the crowds, visit the pandals in the early afternoon and as soon as Durga Puja starts. It tends to get busier as the days progress.
But, if you want to have the full experience and see the festival at its height, go in the evening. All pandals will have an evening aarti (prayer service) which will be sometime after 6:00 pm. Participating in an aarti is something you will never forget, and I whole heartedly recommend it if you are comfortable with shoulder to shoulder crowds.
Cultural shows generally begin after the evening aarti. These are usually traditional dance and folk music.
If you want to enjoy bhog (the free community meal and offering to the goddess), be at a mandir (temple) between 1:00 and 2:00 pm.
What are the 5 days of Durga Puja?
Durga Puja takes place during the last days of the Hindu festival of Navratri. The days of Durga Puja are:
| 1 | Maha Sasthi | The day Goddess Durga lands on earth with her 4 children, the deities Saraswati, Lakshmi, Ganesha, and Kartikeya. The face of the idol of Durga is revealed the night before. |
| 2 | Maha Saptami | The official start of the festivities – the battle between Durga and the demon king Mahishasura begins. |
| 3 | Maha Ashtami | This is considered one of the most auspicious days of Durga Puja – the weapons of Durga are worshipped. Women wear traditional white and red sarees. |
| 4 | Maha Nabami | Durga defeats the demon king Mahishasura – it is a day of celebration of good over evil. |
| 5 | Maham Dashami | The last day of Durga Puja. Images of the goddess are immersed in water as devotees say goodbye before she returns to her celestial home. |
Is Durga Puja the same as Navratri?
The two religious festivals are closely related, but they are not the same. Because Durga Puja coincides with the last 5 days of Navratri they are easy to confuse, especially since they both celebrate the defeat of good over evil.
Navratri is mostly celebrated in northern and western parts of India, while Durga Puja is predominately celebrated in Bengal and other eastern states.
Navratri focuses on the nine forms of Durga – a different avatar is worshipped each day. On the last day of Navratri, Lord Rama defeats the demon Ravana. Unlike Durga Puja, a major part of Navratri is fasting. Devotees do not consume meat, eggs, onion or garlic. During Navratri you will see special Navratri menus at many Delhi restaurants.
What other Deities are Worshipped During Durga Puja
On the first day of Durga Puja, Durga comes down to her earthly home with her four children, who are all Hindu gods and goddesses in their own right. The image of Durga is often displayed with her children at the pandals.
Ganesha
The most famous of Durga’s children is Lord Ganesha, immediately recognizable because of his elephant head. Ganesha is widely revered throughout India and considered to be the removal of obstacles and bringer of good luck. Many Hindus worship Ganesha at the start of new ventures such as a business, or purchase of a new home.
Kartikeya
Kartikeya is the first child of Parvati and Lord Shiva (Parvati is another form of Durga). He is known as the god of war and is famous for bravery and intelligence. Lord Kartikeya is usually depicted as youthful and strong, sometimes he is shown with six heads riding on his peacock.
Lakshmi
Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. She is widely worshipped during Diwali, the festival of lights. On Diwali, the goddess is said to visit the homes of her devotees and bless each one. People light oil lamps, put up coloured lights, clean their homes meticulously, and prepare sweets to welcome the goddess.
Saraswati
The goddess Saraswati is part of the Trivedi, the three most important female Hindu deities. The other two are Parvati (a form of Durga) and Lakshmi. Saraswati is the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, and often depicted with four arms, sitting on a lotus (symbol of purity and knowledge), holding a stringed instrument.
Where to Stay in Delhi During Durga Puja
These are the best guest houses and hotels close to CR Park and the main Durga Puja festivities in Delhi:
- Eros Hotel New Delhi (luxury)
- Home@F37 (mid-range)
- The Neem (mid-range)
- Mayur Hotel at CR Park New Delhi (budget)
- Aashianaa Gracious Living (budget)
- Tatvamasi Homestay (budget)
The Wrap-Up on the Best Places to Celebrate Durga Puja in Delhi 2024
You definitely don’t need to be in Bengal to celebrate Durga Puja in a big way. Thanks to Delhi’s large Bengali community, there are plenty of authentic ways to enjoy Durga Puja in Delhi.
Don’t forget travel insurance! It’s always a good idea to carry travel insurance just in case something goes wrong. I really like and use SafetyWing
