New Delhi, Sept. 5 -- The West Bengal tourism department is gearing up to take Kolkata's Durga Puja far beyond Bengal, with a special initiative aimed at bringing Bengalis across the globe closer to the grand celebrations in the city.
The campaign, titled 'Bishwajure Bangalir Abeg, Durga Puja Global Connect 2026,' will feature special Durga Puja displays and activations on premium digital billboards at New York's Times Square. Sources said that from New York's Times Square to Dubai's Burj Khalifa and London's Piccadilly Lights, Durga Puja is set to make a global splash as the West Bengal government launches an ambitious campaign to promote Bengal's biggest festival internationally. The festival will also be showcased on the LED facade of the Burj Khalifa or another prominent landmark of comparable stature in Dubai. A special digital display is planned at London's Piccadilly Lights as well.
West Bengal Tourism Department has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to appoint a professional agency to execute the campaign as the state government sets a combined target of 2 billion views and impressions through digital and social media platforms. A mega meeting will be held on Monday to discuss preparations for taking this year's Durga Puja celebrations to an international level, with a series of large-scale cultural events, drone displays and concerts planned across Kolkata. One of the major attractions will be a display involving 3,000 drones flying simultaneously over Kolkata.
Sources said that the drones are expected to create the image of Goddess Durga using dots of light in the sky. Details of the various events and celebrations will be finalised after the meeting. According to a tourism department official, Kolkata is set to witness an unprecedented spectacle from Mahalaya on October 10 to Ashtami on October 19. The proposed celebrations are aimed at showcasing Bengal's cultural heritage to audiences across the world.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.