Popular Places to Visit in India for Durga Puja 2024

Mostly celebrated by the Bengali community, Durga Puja or Durgotsava is a popular Hindu festival. If you are a Durga devotee, you must be awaiting the Durga Puja 2024 festivities enthusiastically. Well, whether you are a devout or not, the celebrations during Durga Puja are so vibrant and filled with life and zest that they can even appeal to atheists! Beautifully crafted Durga idols, colorful pandals or platforms, the reverberating sound of prayers made even more soul-touching with mantras and conchshells, and people dancing in unison—this magical description is a common sight during the puja season. While almost all the cities in India celebrate the occasion with lots of excitement, there are a select few places where Durga Puja festivities are on another level altogether. Let’s have a look at these places so that you know where to go to make the most of this festive season.

All You Need to Know about Durga Puja 2024

Observed during Navratri, Durga Puja is widely celebrated on the 6th to 10th day—Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, and Dashami. This year, Durga Puja is scheduled to be held from 9th October to 11th October as Navami and Dashami are falling on the same day. The Puja is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil as it was during this time that Goddess Durga came to Earth and killed the demon Mahishasura, freeing innocent people from his atrocities.

Places to Visit in India for Durga Puja

Being a major Hindu festival, Durga Puja is celebrated with a lot of fervor throughout the country. But, there are some places to visit during Durga Puja vacation that are special as they have a majority of Bengali diaspora. Have a look at the top places with unparalleled Durga Puja celebrations:

• Kolkata

Needless to say, being a city with a majority in Bengali communities, Kolkata hosts the best Durga Puja celebrations. Every street in the city is adorned with Durga Puja pandals that comprise awe-inspiring idols of the Goddess along with other artistic elements. The celebrations here are unique as every year Kolkata announces a new theme for Durga Puja and the decorations are done accordingly. If you want to see the festivities in their most traditional form, then Kolkata is the place for you.

• Ahmedabad

While the celebrations here are dedicated to Lord Rama and his victory over Ravana, the essence of goodness prevailing over evil remains the same. The festival is marked by a dramatic depiction of the story of Ramayana and the burning of Ravana’s effigy on day 10. From dandiya dance to colorful fireworks, the occasion is nothing short of a dream and must be attended by anyone who wants to witness the glory of Indian festivals.

• Delhi

Delhi offers a beautiful amalgamation of both the sides mentioned above. What we mean by that is while CR Park Durga Puja is all about celebrating Goddess Durga, you can attend the event at Ramleela Maidaan that is dedicated to Lord Rama. The blend of Dussehra and Durga Puja as seen in Delhi has its unique charm. While places like CR Park and Kashmiri Gate display gorgeous Pandals with people dancing to the sound of traditional Bengali drums, Ramleela grounds are sites for fireworks and Ravana-dehen—a ritual where a huge effigy of Ravana is burnt to mark the end of evil.

• Mumbai

The Durga Puja celebrations in Mumbai are even more fun to attend as you might see celebrities attending top pandals in the city and joining in the festivities. From traditional Bengali dishes to performances by famous singers, Durga Puja in Mumbai offers a variety of exciting elements that one should not miss.

• Katra

Home to Vaishno Devi Temple—one of the most popular shrines of the Goddess, Katra has to be among the top 5 Durga Puja cities in India. The popular temple is where the celebration is helpd and the entire 13-kilometer stretch from the base camp to the temple is decorated with lights to mark the occasion. Traveling up to the temple is a memorable experience that gets even more thrilling during the puja season.

Now that you have learned about all the prominent places to visit in India for Durga Puja, do not procrastinate and plan a tour soon so that you don’t miss the chance when the time arrives. At My Flight Trip, we let you book flights at affordable rates. Try now for budget-friendly travel plans. Happy Durga Puja!