New Delhi, Oct. 12 -- Durga Puja in West Bengal has evolved over the years, but its tradition and legacy continue to thrive as a vibrant living heritage. However, this year, Durga Puja in Bengal is witnessing several changes with the change in leadership. This will be the first Durga Puja in the state after the BJP came to power in Bengal after defeating the 15-year-old TMC regime from power.
Under the new state government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, several political, cultural and regulatory changes have been introduced. From the ban on the Red Road carnival and shifting of political associations to the replacement of Puja committees, changes in Puja grants, inauguration norms, liquor sales and immersion, Bengal is going to see a different Puja this year.
The biggest change introduced by the BJP government in power is perhaps the scrapping of the Durga Puja carnival on Red Road, a campaign launched by the Mamata Banerjee government. The new government has, however, introduced a major event on Mahalaya at Eden Gardens, which will be beamed live to global landmarks, including New York's Times Square, London's Piccadilly Circus and Dubai's Burj Khalifa.
Changes in government grants are also a topic of discussion. Adhikari has appealed to larger Pujas in the city to forgo the assistance in favour of smaller celebrations that require financial support from the government. Several prominent committees have also agreed to forgo the grant. Puja organisers seeking grants must also submit their PAN card numbers and bank account details in the name of the Puja committee itself. The new BJP government has announced grants of Rs 1 lakh per committee. The Mamata Banerjee government began providing annual assistance of Rs 10,000 to Puja committees in 2018. The amount was gradually increased and stood at Rs 1.1 lakh in 2025. The current government has also asked electricity suppliers to provide free power to Puja organisers. In 2025, the electricity waiver under the previous government stood at 80 per cent. One of the most noticeable developments in this year's Puja is the change in leadership among several prominent Puja organisers. During the TMC era, several mega Puja committees were closely associated with influential party leaders. Sreebhumi was associated with ex-TMC leader Sujit Bose, Suruchi Sangha with Arup Biswas and his brother Swarup, Chetla Agrani with Firhad Hakim, and Naktala Udayan Sangha with Partha Chatterjee. This has also changed now.
At Sreebhumi Sporting Club, a new committee is overseeing this year's Puja. BJP leader Kanak Debnath is the new president. Suruchi Sangha has also undergone a leadership change, with BJP MLA Sourav Sikdar now serving as secretary and the new committee replacing the earlier one. A new statewide organisation called the Paschim Banga Durga Puja Samannay Samiti, or West Bengal Durga Puja Coordination Committee, has been formed with Kartik Maharaj as its chairman, while BJP MLA Rudranil Ghosh is the chief adviser.
Allen Park on Park Street, which is synonymous with Christmas and New Year celebrations, will host a Durga Puja for the first time. The celebration is being organised by Kolkata Sanatani Sangha, fronted by BJP leader Shankudeb Panda.
Puja organisers this year have been asked to ensure that idols and themes do not hurt religious sentiments or undermine what the new government describes as Sanatani traditions. Yet experimental themes have not disappeared. Some major Pujas are placing greater emphasis on patriotism, nationalism and Hindu cultural identity.
Amid all such changes, what never changes is the excitement among Kolkatans, who await the entire year to welcome their daughter Uma to her maternal home. The city-wide homecoming celebration remains eternal.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.