Navratri season in West Bengal
Durga Puja overlaps the autumn festival season but has its own ritual calendar, iconography and cultural form. Pandal art, bodhan, anjali, dhunuchi dance, sindoor khela in some communities, and immersion on Dashami are central in many Bengali celebrations.
What visitors should understand
- This is a regional tradition, not a template for all Navratri celebrations.
- Local terminology, deity focus and ritual sequence matter.
- Public celebrations can be civic, artistic and social as well as devotional.
- Event schedules change annually; check official local sources for this year's dates and routes.
Navratri and Durga Puja: overlap without erasing difference
Durga Puja takes place during the autumn Goddess festival season, but its multi-day Bengali ritual cycle, artistic pandals and family/community traditions are distinct. It is more accurate to explain the relationship than to label Durga Puja simply as “Bengali Navratri.”