How Durga Puja is celebrated beyond Kolkata: Bengal's districts, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Bihar, Delhi's CR Park, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Bangladesh and the diaspora.
A theme pandal built around Bengal's folk culture. Photo: Himadri8991, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Almost every town and village in West Bengal has its own puja, and many districts have traditions as old as, or older than, Kolkata's.
Howrah Bridge (Rabindra Setu) over the Hooghly. Photo: Ovjtphoto, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Durga Puja is one of Assam's most important festivals, celebrated across the state and especially in Guwahati and in the Bengali-majority Barak Valley.
A theme pandal built around Bengal's folk culture. Photo: Himadri8991, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Wherever Bengalis have settled for work, a puja has followed. These pujas are often run by a Bengali association or samiti, and they double as the community's main social event of the year: cultural programmes, Bengali food stalls, shared bhog and evening adda.
Khichuri bhog served in leaf bowls at a Durga Puja. Photo: AjayDas, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
In Bangladesh, Durga Puja is the largest festival of the Hindu community and is celebrated throughout the country, in cities and villages alike.
A theme pandal built around Bengal's folk culture. Photo: Himadri8991, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
In Nepal the same season is celebrated as Dashain, the country's biggest festival.
Dhakis playing the dhak at a Durga Puja. Photo: AjayDas, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Bengali and wider Hindu communities hold Durga Pujas across the world, in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the Gulf countries, continental Europe, Africa and beyond.
A theme pandal built around Bengal's folk culture. Photo: Himadri8991, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The festival travels well because its heart is portable: the goddess's homecoming, the shared food, the music of the dhak and the farewell of Dashami.
Dhakis playing the dhak at a Durga Puja. Photo: AjayDas, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
How Durga Puja is celebrated beyond Kolkata: Bengal's districts, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Bihar, Delhi's CR Park, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Bangladesh and the diaspora.
Durga Puja around the world → Next story: Subho Bijoya and Durga Puja wishes All photo storiesMusic: Sitar sample yaman, Tito Dutta, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.