10 Best Places for Durga Puja Celebrations in India

The divine nights of Navratri are all about exploring the colourful mayhem of Indian culture and the finesse of Indian traditions. During this time period, the devotees throughout the country worship the goddess in her different roopas (forms).

With Navratri, the whole country experiences psychedelic shots of spiritual calmness and reverence. From the most remote cities to the big metropolitan areas, the fever of devotion doesn’t seem to slow down at all.

Keeping this in mind and resonating with the ongoing festive spirit, we at Adotrip, have come up with the top 10 Durga Puja celebrations which are commemorated in different parts of India. 

Note: It is to be noted that, due to the pandemic, Durga Puja celebrations will be curtailed this year. However, people are allowed to celebrate the festival with all the social distancing precautions in place. Thus, this year, we won’t get to see any elaborate themes or decorations.

List of Best Places for Durga Puja Celebrations in India

• Kolkata
• Gujarat
• Tamil Nadu
• Punjab
• Andhra Pradesh
• Karnataka
• Maharashtra
• Himachal Pradesh
• Uttar Pradesh
• Chhattisgarh

1. Kolkata

Kolkata experiences grand celebrations of Durga Puja. So if you want to revel in the taste of Indian culture and heritage, then West Bengal in Kolkata would be the right place to visit and enjoy the colourful festivities. All over the city, one can see several amazingly decorated pandals enshrined with the beautiful idols of Lord Kartikeya, Goddess Durga, Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesha.

Witnessing the rituals here like Ashtami Pushpanjali, Mahalaya, and other contests along with the carnival is something worth waiting for.

Also Read - Durga Puja In Kolkata

2. Gujarat

In Gujarat, the devotees celebrate the Durga Puja festivities by fasting, along with performing Garba dance. A part of the worship also includes feeding little girls and bestowing gifts upon them. This tradition is also known as Kanjak Puja in Northern-India.

If you want to witness what it feels like participating in the Durga Puja celebrations in Gujarat, then a good start would be from Amba Devi Temple in Bhavnagar.

Also Read - Best Places for Navaratri Celebrations in Gujarat

3. Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, people invite their relatives and loved ones at their homes, especially during the last three days of Navratri. One of the highlighting features of this festival is the ritual of Golu. In this tradition, young girls and women display dolls that have been passed down from generations in their respective homes. Muppandhal Devi Temple in Aralvaimozhi, Thiruverkadu Devi Karumariamman Temple, Sree Suryamangalam Bagalamukhi Devi Temple are a few shrines where you can catch up on for all the festive fun.

4. Punjab

Punjab is another gem of an Indian destination where you get to experience the nine nights of Navratri and Durga Puja celebrations in a grand way; daily jagrans are held in temples and people are filled with spiritual ecstasy throughout. And especially during the last two days of Ashtami and Navami, devotees invite young girls in their homes and bestow them with lots of gifts and delish food items. A few shrines to visit for having a spiritual experience would be Mata Longawali Temple in Amritsar, Chandi Devi Temple and Mansa Devi Temple in Chandigarh.

5. Andhra Pradesh

Navaratri celebrations in Andhra Pradesh is the time to invoke the spiritual energies of Maa Gauri. Also referred to as the Bathukamma Panduga in the local language, this is the time when unmarried girls join in community worship places for seeking the spouse of their choice. If you want to witness what commemorating this festival feels like then do visit Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple in Simhachalam, Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijaywada, Sri Veerbhadra Temple in Lepakshi.

6. Karnataka

If you want to explore the true essence of Durga Puja celebrations in Karnataka, then you should definitely head to the ancient city of Mysore. It is believed that this tradition was kickstarted by the Vijayanagara Dynasty during the 17th century marking the victory of Maa Durga over the evil demon Mahishasura. During this time, the Mysore Palace is decorated with about one lakh decorative lights on the occasion of Vijaya Dashmi.

7. Maharashtra

In Maharashtra as well, people enjoy the dripping ecstasy of dandiya nights. One of the highlighting rituals of Navratri in Maharashtra is that the married ladies apply Turmeric (Haldi) and Vermillion (Kumkum) on each other’s foreheads. And activities like purchasing things and closing business deals is also considered quite auspicious during these times.

8. Himachal Pradesh

As Himachal Pradesh is home to several temples of Devi, it is natural that the Navratri season witnesses a feisty celebration here. What’s unique about the Durga Puja celebrations in Himachal Pradesh is that the festival comes to its culmination point by a burning piece of wood along with grass on the banks of Beas River. This ritual signifies the destruction of Lanka in Ramayana.

9. Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh is yet another place where Durga Puja is celebrated with great reverence. Here, the locals set up pandals of Maa Durga at various places. Scriptures of Durga Saptashati are also recited with great reverence all over the region.

10. Chhattisgarh

The state of Chhattisgarh also experiences some really amazing Durga Puja celebrations. Especially the tribals of Bastar hold the celebrations for a period of 75 days and wind up on the 13th day of Ashwin month.

The highlight is that the idols of Devi Maoli, the local tribal Goddess are brought to Danteshwari Temple amid a grand procession on chariots that are made out of traditional tools. This celebration is held between Bastar and Jagdalpur, this event is named as Bastar Dussehra.  

So, with this, our list of top 10 places where Durga Puja is held in India comes to an end. While celebrating the upcoming occasions, don’t forget to follow all the social distancing rules. Be safe and enjoy your heart out. For planning your travel itinerary, do check out Adotrip’s Tour planner.