VMPL
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 1: Durga Puja turns Kolkata into a city that never quite stops moving. From the first shopping trip for new clothes to the last plate of biryani after the final pandal on Dashami night, the festival is really one long, joyful itinerary and half the fun is figuring out where to go next. Here's a starter guide to celebrating Puja like a true Kolkatan this year: the pandals, the food, the shopping, the age-old North-versus-South debate, and a few tips on getting around without the stress.
North or South? Most people don't choose, they do both
Every Kolkatan eventually gets asked the same question during Puja: North or South? North Kolkata's pujas lean traditional - old-money bonedi bari courtyards, decades-old community pandals, narrow lanes filling up with the smell of incense and jilipi frying at the corner shop. South Kolkata, meanwhile, has built its reputation on grand, high-concept, almost art-installation-style pandals that push the theme a little further every year. Most people don't pick a side, they give a day to each: one evening winding through the older north with grandparents in tow, another exploring the newer, more experimental pandals further south with friends. It's less a rivalry than a full festival experience, and honestly, the switch between the two is half the story.
Where to pandal-hop
- North Kolkata: Shobhabazar, Bagbazar and the lanes around Kumartuli where many of the city's idols are still hand-made for a taste of Puja's older, more traditional side.
- Central Kolkata: College Square and the stretch around Esplanade, easy to combine with a round of new-clothes shopping.
- South Kolkata: Ekdalia, Deshapriya Park and the Gariahat–Ballygunge stretch, known for elaborate, design-forward themes each year.
- Salt Lake and New Town: home to some of the newer, large-scale pandals that have become part of the modern Puja circuit.
Shop till the dhaak beats
No Puja is complete without at least one round of shopping before Shashthi. Five spots worth the crowds:
- New Market (Hogg Market): the classic Kolkata haggling experience, and a Puja-shopping institution for generations.
- Gariahat Market: sarees, jewellery and footwear, haggled for on the pavement stalls.
- Hatibagan: North Kolkata's answer to New Market - local, unpretentious, and a lot less crowded.
- Shyambazar: clothes, festive lights and everyday essentials, all in one busy stretch.
- South City Mall or Quest Mall: for anyone who'd rather beat the heat and the crowds indoors.
Eat your way through the festival
Pandal-hopping runs on food. Five stops that belong on every route:
- Phuchka and jhal muri: the default between-pandal snack, from whichever street-corner stall has the longest queue.
- Kolkata kathi rolls: egg, chicken or mutton, rolled fresh off the tawa - arguably the city's greatest culinary export.
- Kobiraji cutlets: a Kolkata original, best eaten hot, straight out of the pan.
- Biryani after dark: fragrant with potato and the city's own blend of spices - a Puja-night ritual in itself.
- Mishti doi and sandesh: because no Puja meal in Kolkata really ends until something sweet does.
Getting around without the stress
The one thing that can make or break a Puja evening is getting from one para to the next and that's where a little planning, and the right ride with inDrive helps.
- Heading out with the whole family, sweets and shopping bags included? Comfort gives you the extra room.
- Just meeting friends to pandal-hop till 2 a.m.? Moto gets you there quickly through the crowds.
- Want an AC ride after a long, sweaty evening of walking? Ride AC is built for exactly that.
- Just need the last stretch from the main road to your para, or from the Metro? Toto Quick is made for short, last-mile hops.
Whichever you choose, you set your fare, the driver decides if it works for them, and once you've both agreed, every ride is covered by insurance - no surge pricing, no guessing games, even on the busiest Puja nights.
Wherever your Puja takes you
Puja in Kolkata was never really about picking one pandal or one plate of food. It's about the whole route between them. Wherever your Puja takes you this year, from Kumartuli to Ekdalia, from New Market to your favourite roadside phuchka stall, inDrive is along for the ride.
(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Durga Puja 2026: Kolkata's Ultimate Pandal-Hopping, Food and Shopping Guide with inDrive
