Durga Puja is one of India’s grandest festivals, celebrated with unmatched devotion and joy. Dedicated to Goddess Durga, it marks the victory of good over evil as Maa Durga defeats the demon Mahishasura. In 2025, Durga Puja will be celebrated from September 28 to October 2, filling Indian streets with lights, pandals, and cultural festivities.
About 166-year-old Durga Puja in Kolkata
Among the countless pujas in Kolkata, one stands tall with a legacy of over a century. As per the Pujo site, the Badan Chandra Roy Durga Puja has been celebrated for 166 years. This puja traces its roots back to 1857, when a palatial house was constructed by Mackintosh and Burn. Later, in 1869, a local businessman from Ayodhya, Subarna Banik ‘Pals’, began the puja. Recognised for his generosity, he was conferred the title ‘Roy’ for uplifting many underprivileged families.
Over the years, the Roy family’s Durga Puja became a significant cultural and spiritual event in Kolkata. Their residence shifted across the city, from near the Medical College Hospital to Central Avenue and finally, in 1925, to Chittaranjan Avenue near New Theatre Square, where the family continued the tradition with grandeur.
What makes this puja special is not just its long history but its ability to preserve heritage while embracing changing times. For generations, devotees and locals have gathered here to witness beautifully crafted idols, traditional rituals, and a sense of community that only Kolkata’s pujas can offer.
In 2025, as pandal-hopping crowds take over Kolkata, the Badan Chandra Roy Family Durga Puja promises to be a highlight, blending history, devotion, and culture in one of the city’s most iconic celebrations.
