Eden Gardens to Turn into Durga Puja Cultural Hub on Mahalaya

Kolkata is preparing for an unusually large Mahalaya celebration at Eden Gardens on October 10, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to attend the programme. The event is expected to combine Durga Puja traditions, music, technology and a large-scale public spectacle, giving the beginning of the festive season a distinctly different character. Modi is scheduled to arrive at Red Road around 6:30 pm before proceeding to Eden Gardens, where he is expected to inaugurate at least five Durga Puja celebrations and interact virtually with around 5,000 Puja committees.

Tradition Meets Technology

The scale of the programme is perhaps its most striking feature. Around 15,000 dhakis are expected to perform alongside artists including Kaushiki Chakraborty, Shantanu Moitra, Shaan and folk band Dohar. Thousands of drones are also planned to create Durga-themed formations in the sky, while giant screens at at least 35 locations across Kolkata are expected to allow people outside Eden Gardens to watch the event.

Interestingly, Modi is now unlikely to perform the traditional Chokkhu Daan, according to state government sources. This reflects the practical challenge of combining a religious ritual with a one-day stadium-based event, since the idol would ordinarily have to remain in place after the ceremony.

Eden Gardens Takes Cultural Turn

Eden Gardens is traditionally associated with cricket, but its temporary transformation into a Durga Puja cultural venue highlights how Kolkata’s iconic spaces can be used for wider public celebrations. The government is scheduled to retain control of the stadium until October 15 to complete dismantling work after the Mahalaya programme.

The real significance of the Eden Gardens Mahalaya event may therefore lie in its attempt to bring together Bengal’s traditional cultural identity and modern spectacle. Whether this format becomes a recurring feature of Kolkata’s festive calendar remains to be seen, but October 10 is set to mark a highly visible beginning to Durga Puja 2026.