West Bengal’s new BJP-led government held its first State-backed Durga Puja celebration at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on October 10, drawing about 40,000 people for a Mahalaya event featuring cultural performances, religious leaders, artists and a drone show.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari attended the event with members of his Council of Ministers. Governor R.N. Ravi and other State ministers were also present. The programme continued for several hours and included performances by artists such as Shantanu Moitra and Kaushiki Chakraborty.
The event marked a change in the State government’s stated approach to the timing of Durga Puja celebrations. Mr. Adhikari said that community pujas would follow what he described as religious traditions and that festivities would not be inaugurated before Mahalaya. He said no Chief Minister had the authority to change the dates of religious events at will.
The Chief Minister also said that 12,400 additional community Durga Pujas were being organised in West Bengal this year after the new government came to power. The State had recorded 45,000 Durga Pujas in 2025 under the previous administration, according to figures cited at the event.
The government has retained the practice of providing financial assistance to community puja committees, which began in 2018 during the Trinamool Congress government. Mr. Adhikari said that more than 200 puja committees in Kolkata had declined the assistance after he appealed to larger pujas not to seek State support.
The scale of the Eden Gardens programme required the use of a major city venue for a large public cultural gathering. The event combined performances, a drone display and public attendance with the government’s first major Durga Puja programme since taking office, making crowd management and venue operations central to its execution.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had initially been expected to attend, but neither was present. The Hindu reported that protests in Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar coincided with the event.
Several well-known actors, religious leaders and artists attended, including exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin. Governor Ravi said the arrangements demonstrated the government’s commitment to Maa Durga. He also linked the change in administration to renewed hope and said delegations visiting him viewed West Bengal as a favourable place for investment.
The State government’s next major task will be to coordinate the wider season of community pujas, including the implementation of its stated timing policy and the continuation of financial assistance to eligible committees.
