Overview

• The festival calendar for Kolkata lists Mahalaya on September 21, Sasthi on September 28, Saptami on September 29, Ashtami on September 30, Nabami on October 1, and Dashami on October 2.
• Kolkata standouts flagged for 2025 include Bagbazar Sarbojanin, College Square, Kumartuli Park, Santosh Mitra Square, Shobhabazar Rajbari, Suruchi Sangha, and Sikdar Bagan Sadharan.
• Noida guides highlight Jalvayu Vihar Sanskritik Kalyan Samiti in Sector 25, Balaka Bengali Cultural Association in Sector 61, Navodaya Puja Samiti in Sector 55, Noida Kalibari in Sector 26, and Sunshine Helios in Sector 78.
• Kumartuli’s clay artisans remain central to the celebrations, with idols crafted in Kolkata’s potters’ district shipped to the US, UK, Canada, and Southeast Asia.
• Visitor advice stresses morning or post-midnight pandal-hopping, extended metro operations during the festival, and likely disruptions for ride-hailing where roads are barricaded.