Durga Puja 2026: All set for the dhaku beat

An artisan prepares an idol of Goddess Durga before the Durga Puja festival in Kumartuli, Kolkata on October 4, 2026. | Photo credit: ANI

Here is your guide to the Durga Puja festivities. If you can’t go pandal hopping in person, here is your chance to know the key events of many cities across India. We also look at how the tradition of Durga Puja traveled beyond West Bengal. Celebrations look different in every city. We’ll take you to artisan workshops and show you how each city lends its own flavor. Check out our collection and read more articles because The Hindu has it covered.

Within | Kumartuli: where clay comes alive

Expert moves: While some workshops maintain the traditional shabeki style, others experiment with contemporary designs to meet specific orders.

Work in progress: Ahead of Durga Puja, artisans perfect the clay idols of Goddess Durga, Lord Ganesha and other deities at Kumartuli in Kolkata.

Priming: An artisan sprays paint on a clay idol in Kumartuli, where few women have broken barriers to take up the traditionally male-dominated craft.

Divine details: The idols cost between ₹50,000 and ₹3,000, depending on their size, with production costs being environmentally friendly.

Decked out to impress: People throng to photograph the idol of Goddess Durga as it prepares to be transported from Kumartuli.

Form to faith: Artisans breathe life into clay idols that will soon grace puja pandals and move devotees

Shaped by time: For many artisan families, idol-making is a generations-old tradition, with Durga Puja believed to have been first celebrated in Krishnanagar in Nadia district in 1606.

Festive Atmosphere: One of Kolkata’s most celebrated festivals, Durga Puja brings communities together to celebrate faith while providing sustenance for many.

Young fans: Visitors take selfies and pose next to unfinished idols of Goddess Durga at Kumartula.

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Published – 16 Oct 2026 12:08 IST