Durga Puja
Durga Puja is a ten-day festival that celebrates the triumph of Goddess Durga over the evil demon Mahishasura. It will be celebrated from 28 September and continue till 2 October in 2025.
It takes place during Devi Paksha, a 15-day period in the lunar month of Ashwin, starting the day after Sarvapitru Amavasya and ending on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja. The term Devi Paksha means “Fortnight of the Goddess.”
Durga Puja is the time when Maa Durga visits the earth to greet and bless her devotees.
This festival is primarily a grand celebration among the Bengali community living in West Bengal. However, Durga Puja is also celebrated with much fervor in Assam, Odisha, Tripura, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
West Bengal observes a long holiday on Durga Puja.
Durga Puja 2025 Schedule
Durga Puja Day |
Date |
Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| Mahalaya | 21 September | Sunday |
| Maha Panchami | 27 September | Saturday |
| Maha Sashti | 28 September | Sunday |
| Maha Saptami | 29 September | Monday |
| Maha Ashtami | 30 September | Tuesday |
| Maha Navami | 1 October | Wednesday |
| Vijaya Dashami | 2 October | Thursday |
Durga Puja Pandals To Look Out For In 2025
- Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja Pandal: Santosh Mitra Square Durga Pandal is one of the most highly anticipated pandals of the year. Its 2025 theme is Operation Sindoor inspired by the recent airstrikes in Pakistan followed after the Pahalgam attack.
- Deshapriya Park: The 2025 Durga puja theme for this club is still not disclosed, but speculations are that they are all set to bring back the largest idol after 2015. Last year, the theme was Bhubaneshwari. Every year, the themes reflect a deep cultural and spiritual narrative, blending art, tradition, and modern interpretations.
- Sreebhumi Sporting Club: Sreebhumi has been one of the most anticipated Durga puja pandals every year. The 2025 theme of Sreebhumi Sporting Club is Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in the USA. However, be prepared for long traffic jams and queues.
- Akhandakeshari Sarbojanin Durgotsab : The 2025 theme of Akhandakeshari Sarbojanin Durgotsab is Shakti (translation: strength) which highlights divine power of Maa Durga.
- Hazra Park Durgotsav: The theme of Hazra Park this year is Drishtikon” (Perspective). Created by noted artist Biman Saha, the theme treats colour as more than just something to look at, it becomes a language of emotion, philosophy, and self-expression. When these colours blend with the form of Goddess Durga, they create a “silent poetry,” an artistic expression of feelings and ideas
- Kalyani ITI More Luminous Club: This year's theme of Kalyani ITI More Luminous Club is Hsinbyume Pagoda in Myanmar. The way to reach Kalyani ITI More Luminous Club is to travel to Kalyani railway station. From there, you can get an auto or toto to reach the club.
- Jagat Mukherjee Park: The 2025 theme of Jagat Mukherjee Park is Artificial Intelligence (AI). The pandal and idol designs aim to reflect the impact of AI, its benefits as well as its drawbacks, while exploring its influence on human life and society. They raise whether AI is ultimately a blessing or a curse for humanity.
- College Square Sarbojanin: College Square Sarbojanina Durgostab Committee are organizing a Cambodia Angkor Wat Temple themed pandal this year.
- Chetla Agrani Club: This year, the Chetla Agrani Club theme is yet to be announced.
- Telengabagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab: Telengabagan Sarbojanin Club will be celebrating their 60th Durgotsab with the theme Sutrapath.
Mahalaya Date And Timings
Every year, people celebrate Mahalaya a week before the Durga Puja festivities begin. The auspicious period of Mahalaya is observed on Amavasya, the new moon day of the Hindu month of Ashwin or Ashwayuja.
Mahalaya in 2025 falls on Sunday, 21 September, with the new moon beginning on 20 September at 11:54 p.m. and ending on 22 September at 11:55 a.m.
As per Hindu mythology, it is believed that Goddess Durga leaves her home in Mount Kailash on this day and proceeds towards the earth, her maternal home.
A popular tradition on this day includes waking up early in the morning, and listening to ' Mahishasura Mardini '. Mahishasura Mardini is a powerful recitation in Sanskrit that narrates the tale of Maa Durga's creation of her and her victory against the evil Mahishasura.
The much-loved program is broadcast by All India Radio at 4:00 am every year.
Maha Panchami Date And Timings
Maha Panchami is an important day in West Bengal as it kickstarts the beginning of the Durga Puja celebration or the five days of worship. People wish each other by saying 'Subho Panchami' (Translation: Happy Panchami).
Maha Panchami 2025 will be celebrated on Saturday, 27 September, marking the day before Durga Puja begins and when final preparations of pandals and idols take place.
Panchami is the day when people worship Skandmata, the fifth avatar of Maa Durga.
Maha Sashti Date And Timings
Maha Sashti marks the arrival of the great Goddess Durga along with her four children, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartika, and Ganesha, to her father's house on earth. Although Maha Sashti is technically the sixth day, it marks the formal beginning of Durga Puja.
On this day, Maa Durga's face is unveiled in a sacred ritual called Bodhan. Besides this, three other rituals are performed: Kalprarambha, Amontron, and Odhibash.
Kalparambha, observed on Sunday, 28 September 2025, marks the beginning of Durga Puja in West Bengal with rituals like Akal Bodhon, where Goddess Durga is invoked during Sanyakal (about 2 hours 24 minutes before sunset), a tradition believed to have started with Lord Rama before his battle with Ravana.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Rama prayed to Goddess Durga before embarking on the fight against Ravana to rescue his wife Sita.
Maha Saptami Date And Timings
Maha Saptami is the seventh day of Durga Puja. It is a significant day because it marks the start of the battle between Goddess Durga and Mahishashur, an evil Bovine or Buffalo demon.
Maha Saptami, the first day of Durga Puja, will be observed on Monday, 29 September 2025, Shukla Paksha, Saptami, 2082 Kalayukta Vikrama Samvata, with the Saptami Tithi lasting from 2:27 PM on 28 September to 4:31 PM on 29 September.
Maha Saptami is accompanied by many traditional rituals and customs:
- Mahasnan: Mahasnan is a simple and meaningful practice of giving a bath to Maa Durga. For this, a vessel or container with a mirror is placed in front of the idol. The mirror is placed at an angle where Maa Durga's reflection is visible. Turmeric and mustard oil are applied on the mirror after which holy water is poured on it.
- Nava Patrika: Nava and Patrika are Sanskrit words which mean nine and leaves respectively. Nine leaves from trees including Turmeric, Banana, Rice Paddy, Kacu, Pomegranate, Wood Apple, Jayanti, and Ashoka are given a ritualistic bath and installed in the place of worship. The nine trees symbolize nine forms of Maa Durga.
- Prana Pratishta: In this ritual, the priest instills life in the idol of Maa Durga by reciting hymns and mantras.
Read Maha Saptami to know more about Saptami.
Maha Ashtami Date And Timings
Maha Ashtami, also known as Maha Durgashtami, is the third day of Durga Puja and the eighth day of Navaratri. As the name indicates, this is the day when the eighth form of Maa Durga, Maa Mahagauri is worshipped.
Mahashtami, celebrating Goddess Durga in her full glory, will be observed on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, with the Ashtami Tithi beginning at 4:31 PM on 29 September and ending at 6:06 PM on 30 September.
Maha Ashtami is considered to be the most sacred time for Pushpanjali when flowers are offered to the Goddess. Sandhi Puja is also an important ritual followed on this day. It is carried out at a specific time when Ashtami Tithi ends and Navami Tithi begins.
Read Durga Ashtami to learn more about this day.
Maha Navami Date And Timings
The word 'navam' means nine. Thus, Maha Navami is the ninth day of Navaratri. It begins right after the Sandhi Puja on Maha Ashtami.
Maha Navami, honoring Mahisasuramardini Goddess Durga, will be observed on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, with the Navami Tithi starting at 6:06 PM on 30 September and ending at 7:01 PM on 1 October.
According to Hindu mythology, Maha Navami marks the final day of battle between Goddess Durga and Mahishahura and finally the victory of good over evil. This is why Maa Durga is also known as Mahishasuramardini which means the one who killed Mahishasura.
On Maha Navami, 'dhunachi naach' is a popular tradition where people dance joyfully holding a dhunachi or incense burner.
Vijaya Dashami Date And Timings
Vijaya Dashami finally marks a sad end to the Durga Puja.
Bengal Vijayadashami 2025 will be observed on Thursday, 2 October, with the Dashami Tithi beginning at 7:01 PM on 1 October and ending at 7:10 PM on 2 October, while the Vijay Muhurat is from 2:09 PM to 2:56 PM and the Aparahna time is from 1:21 PM to 3:44 PM.
After defeating Mahishasura, Maa Durga is believed to leave for her in Law's House in Kailash Parvat where her husband Lord Shiva lives.
On Vijaya Dashami, people immerse the idol of Maa Durga in Ganga or nearby water bodies. The journey of Goddess Durga to the river or lake is accompanied by local residents who sing and dance to the beats of Dhak (traditional drums) throughout the procession route.
Sindur Khela is a popular tradition followed on this day. Traditionally, married women smear vermillion on Maa Durga and other women to mark the significance of sindur in the lives of Hindu married women.
Interesting Facts About Durga Puja
- Maa Durga has three eyes. Her left eye symbolizes desire, her right eye symbolizes action and the third eye on her forehead represents fire and knowledge.
- Kumari Puja, a tradition in Durga Puja where young women are worshipped, has a deep symbolic significance. It acknowledges that every woman has a divine or godly presence inside them.
- The demon Mahishashura earned a boon from Lord Brahma. He said that no ordinary male warrior will ever be able to defeat him and that only a brave woman was capable of doing so. Thus, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, and other gods created Maa Durga to defeat him.
Upcoming Durga Puja Dates
| Year | Date (From Shashthi to Dashami) |
|---|---|
| 2026 | October 17 (Saturday) to October 21 (Wednesday) |
| 2027 | October 6 (Wednesday) to October 10 (Sunday) |
| 2028 | September 24 (Sunday) to September 28 (Thursday) |
| 2029 | October 13 (Saturday) to October 17 (Wednesday) |
| 2030 | October 2 (Wednesday) to October 6 (Sunday) |
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