Kolkata Durga Puja News October 2026: Rules, Pandals

Quick answer (as of 9 October 2026): West Bengal has announced new rules for Durga Puja 2026: no liquor sales on Ashtami, no DJs at pandals or immersion processions, no cranes at immersion, a Rs 1 lakh grant per committee, and no Red Road carnival this year. A state Mahalaya programme is planned at Eden Gardens on 10 October. Kolkata Metro will run overnight on the Blue and Green Lines from 17 to 20 October. Top theme pandals include Santosh Mitra Square, Sreebhumi (Hawa Mahal) and Ekdalia Evergreen (Somnath Temple). Navratri runs 11 to 19 October and Dussehra is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 (Drik Panchang).

Kolkata's pujo season looks a little different this year. The state has rewritten several familiar rules, the Red Road carnival will not be held, and a new state-run Mahalaya event opens the festivities. Meanwhile the city's clubs have, as always, been busy: a Hawa Mahal with hundreds of windows, a Somnath Temple, a Ramayana told in painted facades. Here is what has actually been announced, with the source and date for every item, so you can plan your pandal hopping with confidence.

At a glance: Kolkata Durga Puja 2026 news

Item	Date	Status	Source
Liquor ban on Ashtami, DJ ban, no cranes at immersion	Announced 7 Sep	Official	The Week
No Red Road carnival this year	Announced 7 Sep	Official	The Week
Committee grant Rs 1 lakh; free fire licence and electricity permission	Announced 7 Sep	Official	The Federal
State Mahalaya programme, Eden Gardens	10 Oct	Expected	The Federal; Millennium Post
Durga Puja Preview Tour (by invitation)	10 to 12 Oct	Reported	The Federal
Top theme pandals	Reported 7 Oct	Reported	The Federal
Overnight Metro, Blue and Green Lines	17 to 20 Oct	Official	India TV News

New state rules: liquor, DJs, immersion and roads

Status: official. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the rules for Durga Puja 2026. Alcohol sales are barred at shops and commercial establishments on Ashtami, and DJs are not allowed at puja pandals or immersion processions. Cranes are banned during idol immersion, and no permission will be given to block 13 arterial roads in Kolkata. Puja inaugurations are not permitted before Mahalaya (Source: The Week, 7 September 2026).

For visitors, the practical points are simple: expect quieter immersion processions without DJ sound systems, plan around the Ashtami liquor restriction if you are hosting guests, and expect the main arterial roads to stay open for traffic.

No Red Road carnival this year

Status: official. The West Bengal government said it will not organise the post-Dashami Durga Puja carnival on Red Road this year. The carnival had been held since 2016. The state's official celebrations will instead begin with a Mahalaya programme (Source: The Week, 7 September 2026). If you were planning a trip around the carnival, note that immersions themselves continue as usual under the new rules.

Committee grant set at Rs 1 lakh

Status: official. The state fixed this year's grant for Durga Puja committees at Rs 1 lakh, down from Rs 1.10 lakh last year, and asked large, financially strong committees to give up the aid so that it can go to smaller organisers. Committees will get fire safety licences and electricity permission at no cost, and will not pay Kolkata Municipal Corporation tax on advertisement hoardings (Source: The Federal, 26 September 2026).

Mahalaya at Eden Gardens on 10 October

Status: expected. The state government is holding a state-sponsored Mahalaya cultural programme at Eden Gardens on 10 October 2026. Performers listed include Kaushiki Chakraborty, Shantanu Moitra, Shaan and the folk band Dohar, and the programme includes dhakis and a drone show. Similar programmes are planned in other districts (Source: The Federal, 26 September 2026).

Timings and entry arrangements were not stated in these reports, so check the organiser's page for timings and tickets before heading to the stadium.

Durga Puja Preview Tour, 10 to 12 October

Status: reported. On 24 September the West Bengal government signed two MoUs with Adani Enterprises, one covering cultural initiatives linked to Durga Puja. As reported by The Federal, Adani's first Durga Puja Preview Tour runs from 10 to 12 October and covers 8 to 10 pujas between 6 pm and about 4 am. Entry is by invitation and QR-based registration (Source: The Federal, 26 September 2026). This is not a public ticketed tour.

Top pandal themes for 2026

The Federal's round-up of theme pandals, published on 7 October 2026, gives a good first map for pandal hopping (Source: The Federal, 7 October 2026). All themes below are as reported; visit each committee's page for opening dates and crowd advisories.

Santosh Mitra Square (Lebutala): Vande Mataram at 150

For its 91st Durga Puja, Santosh Mitra Square has chosen 'Sanatani Chetanay Vande Mataram', marking 150 years of the song. The theme includes an India-shaped pandal, Partition-era photographs, a Red Fort replica, a train installation depicting the 1947 migration, and statues of Khudiram Bose and Matangini Hazra. A light-and-sound show is being introduced for the first time.

Sreebhumi Sporting Club: Hawa Mahal

In north-east Kolkata, Sreebhumi Sporting Club is recreating Jaipur's Hawa Mahal, including the monument's honeycomb facade with 953 windows. The decorators reportedly surveyed the 227-year-old structure in Jaipur.

Ekdalia Evergreen Club: Somnath Temple

Ekdalia Evergreen in south Kolkata is recreating Gujarat's Somnath Temple, the first of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines, for its 84th year. Last year the club recreated the Arunachalesvara Temple. Read more in our 12 Jyotirlingas guide.

Alipore Sarbojanin and Chorebagan: the Ramayana and Akal Bodhon

Alipore Sarbojanin Durgotsav in Chetla marks its 81st year with 'Ramayana: An Epic Woven in Time', narrating the epic from Lord Ram's exile to the Akal Bodhan before his battle with Ravana, with facade paintings and a large boat replica. Chorebagan Sarbojanin in north Kolkata has chosen Akal Bodhon as its 91st-year theme. Akal Bodhan, Rama's untimely invocation of the Goddess, is the story behind autumn Durga Puja; see Rama vs Ravana and Durga vs Mahishasura.

Chaltabagan Lohapatty: 'Nishan – The Mark'

In Manicktala, Chaltabagan Lohapatty marks its 84th year honouring the Ramnami Samaj of Chhattisgarh, whose members tattooed Lord Ram's name on their bodies. The pandal features a custom soundtrack composed by Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.

Kumartuli Park, Shibmandir and Ballygunge Samaj Sebi Sangha

Kumartuli Park Sarbojanin marks its 34th year by depicting the Ganga's journey from the Gangotri glacier to the sea. Shibmandir Sarbojanin Durgotsav Samiti marks its 90th anniversary with 'Porob: The Celebration of Togetherness', inspired by Rajasthan's Gangaur festival honouring Goddess Gauri. Ballygunge Samaj Sebi Sangha honours actor Uttam Kumar in his centenary year.

Kolkata Metro: overnight services 17 to 20 October

Status: official. From 17 to 20 October, Kolkata Metro will run 248 Blue Line services daily from 1 pm to 4 am the next day, and 192 Green Line services daily from 1:30 pm to 3:59 am. On 15 and 16 October, Blue and Green Line services will run from 6 am to 11 pm. On 21 October the Blue Line will run 140 services from 1 pm to 10:30 pm (Source: India TV News, 8 October 2026).

Date	Line	Services and hours (as reported)
15 and 16 Oct	Blue and Green	6 am to 11 pm
17 to 20 Oct	Blue	248 services daily, 1 pm to 4 am next day
17 to 20 Oct	Green	192 services daily, 1:30 pm to 3:59 am
21 Oct	Blue	140 services, 1 pm to 10:30 pm

Late-night trains make it easier to combine north and south Kolkata pandals in one evening without hunting for parking. Check Metro Railway Kolkata's official channels for any last-minute changes.

Planning tips for pandal hopping

Know the puja days: our full Durga Puja 2026 dates guide lists each day from Mahalaya to Sindoor Khela.
Use the Metro at night: overnight services on 17 to 20 October avoid road closures and parking hunts.
Check the source: rules and timings can change; treat forwarded messages without a date and source as unconfirmed.
NRIs: planning a puja abroad instead? See our USA and UK city-by-city guides.

Frequently asked questions

Is liquor banned in West Bengal during Durga Puja 2026?

Yes, on Ashtami. The state government announced that alcohol sales are barred at shops and commercial establishments on Ashtami, as reported by The Week on 7 September 2026. DJs are also not allowed at pandals or immersion processions.

Will there be a Red Road carnival in 2026?

No. The West Bengal government said it will not organise the post-Dashami Durga Puja carnival on Red Road this year (The Week, 7 September 2026). The state's official celebrations instead begin with a Mahalaya programme.

What is happening at Eden Gardens on 10 October?

A state-sponsored Mahalaya cultural programme is planned at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 10 October 2026, with performers including Kaushiki Chakraborty, Shantanu Moitra, Shaan and the folk band Dohar, plus dhakis and a drone show (The Federal; Millennium Post, 5 October 2026). Check the organiser's announcements for timings and entry.

What are the Kolkata Metro timings during Durga Puja 2026?

From 17 to 20 October 2026, the Blue Line runs 248 services daily from 1 pm to 4 am the next day, and the Green Line runs 192 services daily from 1:30 pm to 3:59 am (India TV News, 8 October 2026). Check Metro Railway Kolkata's official channels before you travel.

Which pandals have the most talked-about themes this year?

The Federal's 7 October 2026 round-up highlights Santosh Mitra Square (Vande Mataram at 150), Sreebhumi Sporting Club (Hawa Mahal), Ekdalia Evergreen (Somnath Temple), Alipore Sarbojanin (Ramayana), Chorebagan (Akal Bodhon), Chaltabagan Lohapatty (Ramnami Samaj), Kumartuli Park (the Ganga's journey) and Shibmandir (Gangaur).

Will this page be updated?

Yes. News on this page was checked on 9 October 2026, and we will update it as announcements change. Always confirm with official sources before you travel.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

News checked on 9 October 2026; we will update as announcements change. Every item on this page comes from a news report we checked on that date, cited with the source name and publication date. Items marked expected or reported are as stated by those sources and may change. Festival dates are from Drik Panchang. Please confirm timings, entry and travel details with official sources before you go.