Politics of change at the pandals

On October 10 this year, the State’s newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government organised its first major event to welcome Goddess Durga at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens Cricket Stadium on the occasion of Mahalaya | Photo Credit: PTI For decades, Durga Puja in West Bengal has evolved and grown, weathering political shifts while retaining its cultural significance. On October 10 this year, the State’s newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government organised its first major event to welcome Goddess Durga at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens Cricket Stadium on the occasion of Mahalaya. The first day of Debi Pokkho (the fortnight of Goddess Durga), Mahalaya heralds the countdown to Durga Puja. The BJP’s event signified both change and continuity.Suvendu Adhikari, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, flanked by the ministers of his cabinet, walked the two-kilometre stretch from Red Road to Eden Gardens, which was illuminated with bright red-and-cream lights. The event, featuring art forms from various districts of West Bengal, was reminiscent of the Durga Puja carnival organised during the regime of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), founded and led by Mamata Banerjee, which governed West Bengal from 2011 to 2026. Published - October 19, 2026 05:00 am IST