[Sheel]

Thanks for sharing this Arav, the themes are amazing. Though I keep frequenting Kolkata but have never been there in a Pujo, maybe someday.

You didn't share the mangsho pics, why?

[AKSen2015]

Thank you Arav Da for this post. As time would have it , missed out on quite a few pujas this year. But seeing them through your lens made up for it.

Subho Bijoya

[Samba]

Excellent thread and awesome coverage. Rated 5*.
I must agree, you got the right vehicle this time for Puja parikrama.

A pic from my side-

Maddox square kolkata.

Originally Posted by Sheel

You didn't share the mangsho pics, why?

For you.

[ALTIMAed]

Hi Arav - a feast for the eyes for people like me who did not go 'poojo bari' hopping.

This year, like the last year, I confined myself the poojo bari of the campus that I reside in. The first day, I took my 4 year old son, his first statement on seeing the Ma Durga idol - "Pappa Pappa - so many hands" (incidently Ma Durga has 10 hands), after which he spotted the cow (buffalo) followed by the mouse. Then he said - "Pappa see see elephant head".

Bhog everyday and 'fries' (fish, chicken, veg etc) made sure the inches on my waist took an upward trend

[snaseer]

Beautiful Pictures . Look more like a painting than a picture. Superb skills.

[AJ-got-BHP]

Originally Posted by Chethan B G

Wooow!! Excellent details and very well written!! Beautiful photography!! Rated the thread a well deserved 5 stars! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Chethan !!

Originally Posted by gmhossain

Thanks Arav for giving us a beautiful virtual tour of greatest Autumn festival of Kolkata! This year, we too stayed back at home during Pujo break rather than going out somewhere else.

Thank you so much Sir ! Life would be boring and monotonous without these changes.

Originally Posted by Sheel

Thanks for sharing this Arav, the themes are amazing. Though I keep frequenting Kolkata but have never been there in a Pujo, maybe someday.

You didn't share the mangsho pics, why?

Glad you enjoyed Sheel ! You must be herein the Pujo Holidays someday for sure.

Well the hours in which we ventured out to see the Puja Pandals were wee and odd hours to indulge in mangsho. However, gastronomy is at a different level altogether during these few days. Might require a separate thread to share the details

Originally Posted by AKSen2015

Thank you Arav Da for this post. As time would have it , missed out on quite a few pujas this year. But seeing them through your lens made up for it.

Thanks Arka !!

Originally Posted by Samba

Excellent thread and awesome coverage. Rated 5*.
I must agree, you got the right vehicle this time for Puja parikrama.

Thanks Samba

Originally Posted by ALTIMAed

Hi Arav - a feast for the eyes for people like me who did not go 'poojo bari' hopping.

This year, like the last year, I confined myself the poojo bari of the campus that I reside in. The first day, I took my 4 year old son, his first statement on seeing the Ma Durga idol - "Pappa Pappa - so many hands" (incidently Ma Durga has 10 hands), after which he spotted the cow (buffalo) followed by the mouse. Then he said - "Pappa see see elephant head".

Bhog everyday and 'fries' (fish, chicken, veg etc) made sure the inches on my waist took an upward trend

Thanks Suneel Da !! Let's plan to catch up before Diwali sometime for all the good reasons.

Originally Posted by snaseer

Beautiful Pictures . Look more like a painting than a picture. Superb skills.

Thanks naseer !

[mi2n]

Thank you for this Arav! We enjoyed the photos thoroughly. Although we were in town this year, I just could not gather the courage to go pandal hopping in Kolkata. After going through your thread, we are regretting our miss.

[Miyata]

Wonderful. Thanks for sharing. Wish it could have come a few days earlier so I could have planned better!

I was in the city for few days during the puja. Managed to visit a few of the pandals - Ballygunge cultural association; Tridhara; Maddox square; and Singhi Park.

Took some photos on the phone, will share when I get the chance.

For dining, apart from the ones you've listed, few I had the opportunity to try over time and liked -

Marco Polo - Have tried their Chinese. Good food and decent ambiance. The staff there could be a bit more attuned to the needs of the customers.

Peter Cat -

Mocambo -

Calcutta Club - They messed up my paneer dish and got tofu instead! I was fine with it but our hosts were a bit upset with this mixup.

Flurry's - Supposedly a popular bakery on the park street. Many raves but I felt it was a disservice to the huge variety of awesome sweets Kolkata has to offer. My personal favorites are mostly the date-palm jaggery based ones.

I would put Flurry's in the "alright" category!

[gauravkhastgir]

Amazing post with lovely photographs!
An absolute treat to the eye for a bengali outside Kolkata!
Cheers!

[ts1506]

Thank you so much for this thread.

I am a regular at Durga Puja celebrations, but after moving to Bangalore this year, this was the first year in my life without a single inkling of the festival and merriment.

Your pictures and experiences surely made me relive the energy, the hustle and bustle and the sheer longing for Durga Puja.

[RGK]

Very Nice Arav. This thread has created an urge in me to plan for a trip to Kolkata during Durga Pooja festival. Hope I do next year.

This is certainly going to be the guide for me.

[Samfromindia]

We have so many active Bhpians from Kolkata churning out scores of amazing travelogues, but almost everyone forgot to write about the most fascinating part of their tradition: The yearly Durga Puja. Glad that finally someone decided to write one ! This will surely serve as a reference to anyone not familiar with Durga Puja and Kolkata to plan a trip in coming years. Amazing pictures and detailed narration. Rated 5 stars.

[surjaonwheelz]

Amazing thread, great efforts in compilation. Appreciate it. Kolkata is at a different level during Durga puja!

Thanks for sharing.

[anjan_c2007]

Very painstakingly prepared contents. Its really praiseworthy that the author could come out with a very comprehensive list and photographic representation of the widely scattered Puja pandals all over the City of Joy.

Though the regulars know which all localities to throng during the Puja days, this listing will help visitors and outsiders in Kolkata. It is also very informative for Kolkatans, many of whom are not fully aware of the celeberations taking place in far off localities.

A big "Thank You" to the author.

[1100D]

Although during the last few days, was involuntarily bombarded with Durga Puja pics on social media, you have still managed to present it in an organised way. What's particularly commendable are your photographs, the way you've managed to compose them, knowing how difficult it usually gets.

Great that someone decided to give Durga Puja importance enough of deserving a thread on team bhp. You turned out to be a real "Bongo-Sontan" (Son of the Bengali Soil)

For outsiders to refer to this as a guide, the Good news is, that it's all different each year. Also, specially for folks not familiar with the local situation on these days, planning to undertake pandal hopping without special access passes, it can potentially ruin the whole experience.