Durga Puja 2025: Festival of Divinity, Culture, and Community Abroad

Durga Puja is Bengal’s biggest festival — the heartbeat of Bengali life, a festival replete with spirituality, creativity, narration, and communalism. It’s observed for ten days, marking Goddess Durga’s victory over Mahishasura, symbolizing the omnipotent power of good over evil.

In 2025, Durga Puja will be celebrated from September 28 to October 2, coinciding with Shashthi to Dashami, the five most auspicious worship and celebration days. Kolkata, the cultural capital of Bengal, gets transformed into a great visual treat these days, but Indian societies in Canada and the USA get no less ablaze, celebrating the festival in pandals painted in vibrant colors, in art forms of presentation, and in soul-tickling rituals.

For the Indian diaspora living in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Houston, Durga Puja is much more than a religious festival. It’s a precious moment to rediscover their roots, impart Indian culture to coming generations, and forge community bonding within a multicultural environment.