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1h ago

Mahalaya Kicks Off Durga Puja in Bengal With Bigger Grants, Heavy Logistics and Political Messaging

State-backed cultural outreach now defines the build-up, drawing opposition attacks on pre-Mahalaya inaugurations and public funding.

For decades, puja pandals in Bengal have served as mirrors to the political and cultural anxieties of their time.
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Overview

  • Mahalaya marked the start of Devi Paksha as idols moved into pandals across Kolkata and other cities, formally beginning the Durga Puja countdown.
  • Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched the autumn Jago Bangla issue and unveiled a 16-song Puja album, Durga Angan, while starting mass pandal inaugurations she says involve mandaps, not idols.
  • The West Bengal government raised support to ₹1.10 lakh per puja committee and offered an 80% electricity rebate, pairing the aid with safety guidance for organisers.
  • Kolkata’s civic and security apparatus rolled out extensive preparations, including over 500 sanitation vehicles, more than 580 pumps, ambulances, traffic curbs, and port-run crane operations at immersion ghats.
  • BJP leaders criticised inaugurations before Mahalaya and the grant policy as politicisation, as TMC figures cited UNESCO recognition and Bengali identity, and pandal themes ranged from migrant and language issues to a BJP-backed ‘Operation Sindoor’ display.