Kolkata Events

Kolkata’s grand festivities begin with the Bengali New Year, celebrated around April 15^th depending on the lunar calendar. Gifts of sweets and chocolates are offered to visitors and locals alike from homes and stores across Kolkata, uniting the community with good spirits. With high hopes for the new year and steady excitement for the approaching events, Durga Puja kicks off the biggest festival in the city to date during the first week of October. It is recognized as the most vibrant and uplifting festivity in Kolkata, marking the mythological story of Goddess Durga slaying the Buffalo demon with the help of her trusted lion. The streets are occupied with people until the end of the ceremony on the tenth day of celebration, rumoured to number at a few million; the Durga Puja is the largest outdoor gathering in the world. Followed by this epic festival is the smaller Kali Puja, held around the first week of November in worship of the Goddess Kali. The night is lit up with firecrackers, sparklers and fireworks, mirroring closely the Diwali festival in North India. On December 31^st, English New Year kicks off the beginning of very artistic and creative following months through a nighttime celebration that is engrossed with fun activities throughout the luminous Park Street. Also marking a fresh start are the two Eids: Eid ul-Fitr, the little feast, and Eid ul-Adha, the big feast take place to honour the passing month of fasting during Ramadan. The feasts are lavish and open to the public, with restaurants featuring special menus and inviting people to try new cuisine. The Calcutta Book Fair holds the title and honours of being the world’s largest, non-trade book fair. This annual fair lasts for 12 days, beginning on the last Wednesday of January each year. With over 600 stalls and close to 150,000 visitors, the excitement of the hustle and bustle alone will inspire you to visit, let alone the presentations offered by authors, poets and artists!