The BJP government in West Bengal is launching the first Durga Puja celebration with a mega event at Eden Gardens

Artists perform during the Mahalaya Durga Puja celebrations organized by the state government at Eden Gardens on October 10, 2026 | Photo credit: PTI

The West Bengal government organized a massive Durga Puja event at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (October 10, 2026) which was attended by about 40,000 people. The much-awaited Mahalaya event marked the beginning of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s first Durga Puja celebration after assuming power in the state.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who was present at the event along with his Council of Ministers, said, “All Durga Pujas will follow proper religious traditions this year”, taking a swipe at his predecessor Mamata Banerjee.

“This is the first time that pujas have not been inaugurated ahead of time. This is our tradition; everyone has to follow religious scriptures and traditions. Every religion has its own rules and regulations. No chief minister has enough powers to change the dates of religious events at will,” Mr Adhikari said.

Mr. Adhikari said his government would not allow the only Durga Puja in the state to start its festivities before Mahalaya.

28% increase in community Pujas

The Chief Minister added that 12,400 more community Durga Pujas are being organized in the state this year after the new government took over. In 2025, there were 45,000 Durga Pujas during the last reign.

This time, Mr. Adhikari also appealed to the big Durga Pujas not to seek help from the state government. During the Trinamool regime, Ms. Banerjee started giving cash incentives to community Durga Pujas from 2018, a practice the BJP government did not stop.

“More than 200 Puja Committees in Kolkata have not accepted the financial assistance in response to my appeal to give up the financial assistance,” Mr. Adhikari said.

PM, HM absent

When the grand inaugural event was initially conceived, the chief minister had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be present. However, protests in Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday meant that neither Mr Modi nor Union Home Minister Amit Shah were present.

West Bengal Governor RN Ravi, along with several state ministers were present along with several well-known actors, religious leaders and artists, including exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin.

“A New Sunrise for West Bengal”

The cultural event at Eden Gardens, which included a drone show and performances by artists like Shantanu Moitra and Kaushiki Chakraborty, lasted for several hours. Governor Ravi said that these measures are proof that the present government is committed to Maa Durga.

“Because of the blessings of Maa Durga, West Bengal now has a new sunrise and has a government that believes and prays to Maa Durga. There was hopelessness a few months ago, but today it has changed and now there is hope in West Bengal… Even people who come from outside, delegations that meet me, say that this is a great time to invest in Maa Bengal Governing.”

Published – 10 October 2026 22:15 IST