Pujo stories
The stories behind the festival
Where the goddess is made, why the drums never stop, how a household ritual became a city’s festival, and how to make the most of your first night out.
Editor’s pick
How Durga Puja became Kolkata’s festival
From the courtyards of old family houses to street-corner community pujas and a UNESCO listing: how a household ritual became the city’s biggest celebration.
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Craft3 min read
Kumartuli: where the goddess takes shape
In a few lanes of north Kolkata, bamboo, straw and river clay become the idols the city prays to. Inside the potters’ quarter in the weeks before Puja.
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Music3 min read
The dhak: the sound of Pujo
You hear a pandal before you see it. The drum, the drummers who travel to the city for it, and the rhythms that mark each part of the Puja.
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Rituals2 min read
Sindoor khela: the farewell in red
On the last morning of the Puja, married women bid the goddess goodbye with vermilion, sweets and tears. What happens, and why it matters.
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Guides3 min read
Pandal hopping for the first time: a practical guide
How to plan your nights, avoid the worst of the queues, get around when the roads close, and enjoy every minute.
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