Adhikari launches Durga Puja festivities, cites adherence to religious norms

West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday launched the festivities centred around this year’s Durga Puja, the biggest festival for people in the eastern state, at a grand ceremony at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata.

“Our government decided that the Durga Puja (festivities) cannot be initiated during the Pitru Paksha phase. That’s why it is being launched today, as the Devi Paksha has begun. On one hand, we decided to maintain the cultural tradition of the Durga Puja; on the other hand, we decided to adhere to the religious norms and our scriptures,” he said.

This is the first Durga Puja since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in May this year, ousting the Trinamool Congress government.

Former CM Mamata Banerjee faced criticism in 2025 from the opposition and some religious and Hindu rights organisations for inaugurating puja pandals before Mahalaya, which marks the transition from Pitru Paksha to Devi Paksha.

“Till last year, around 45,000 community pujas were organised by various clubs and organisations across the state. This year, the number has jumped by around 12,400. Earlier, people had to approach the Calcutta high court to seek permission to organise Durga Puja. This year, there has been no such instance to my knowledge,” Adhikari said while addressing the programme, which was attended by an audience of around 40,000.

West Bengal governor RN Ravi, ministers, senior bureaucrats and leaders from various spiritual organisations attended the programme. Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen also attended the event.

The dignitaries first attended a roadshow led by Adhikari and then attended the grand ceremony. Apart from the cultural programmes, at least 3,000 drones lit up the sky over the stadium, depicting Goddess Durga and scenes including the traditional Dhunuchi Naach.

The state tourism department and the information and cultural affairs department will organise special cultural programmes in various cities and tourist destinations, including one on Digha beach, over the next four days before the main Puja celebrations begin.

The new BJP government in the state had earlier reduced the grant for Durga Puja committees from 110,000 provided last year by the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government to ₹100,000 this year. It also announced a complete ban on DJs during the festivities and the closure of liquor outlets and bars on Maha Ashtami. The Durga Puja carnival, a pet project of Banerjee, has also been cancelled this year.