When to go, how to get around and what to eat, in photos.
Lanterns and lights over a Behala street during the pujas. Photo: Goutam1962, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Queues are shortest early in the morning and after 1 am. Ashtami and Navami nights are the busiest.
Night crowds on the pandal trail in Behala. Photo: Snehangshu36, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Use the Metro and walk between neighbouring pandals. Plan one or two areas per outing.
A Kolkata tram among yellow taxis. Photo: Damien Naidoo, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Theme pandals turn crafts and ideas into whole buildings. Ready-made trails link the best of each area.
A theme pandal built around Bengal's folk culture. Photo: Himadri8991, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Phuchka, rolls and sweets along the pandal routes. Carry cash and UPI.
Phuchka, Kolkata's favourite street snack. Photo: TAPAS KUMAR HALDER, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Comfortable shoes, water and a charged power bank. Give children a contact card, and use police help desks if anyone gets lost.
Lanterns and lights over a Behala street during the pujas. Photo: Goutam1962, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The main days run from Shashthi, Saturday 17 October, to Bijoya Dashami, Wednesday 21 October 2026.
Howrah Bridge (Rabindra Setu) over the Hooghly. Photo: Ovjtphoto, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Practical Kolkata pandal hopping tips: the best hours to beat crowds, using the Metro, what to carry, kids and elders, safety, and which area is known for what.
Pandal hopping in Kolkata → Next story: Navratri: the nine nights of the Goddess All photo storiesMusic: Rhythm of Dhak a huge membranophone instrument from Bengal and Assam, used in Hindu religious festivals, especially Durga Puja, Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.