Ekdalia Evergreen Club

Ekdalia Evergreen Club — The Heritage Replica Pioneer of Gariahat

Founded in 1943, Ekdalia Evergreen Club is one of South Kolkata’s most iconic pujas, synonymous with a beautifully traditional “Sabeki” idol, glittering chandeliers and meticulously crafted replica pandals. The late political leader Subrata Mukherjee was closely associated with the club from 1972, deepening its public stature and drawing visitors from across the city.

Ekdalia is famous for recreating India’s great temples in pandal form — the Brihadisvara Temple (2018), the Meenakshi Temple (2016), the Golden Temple of Vellore (2012) and a Jain temple (2023) among them — while never abandoning its classical idol. In 2025 the club turned to the Arunachalam Temple of Tiruvannamalai, and for 2026 it is building a replica of the Shree Somnath Temple of Gujarat.

The club’s appeal lies in this dual identity: devout and heritage-minded, yet ambitious in craft. It deliberately shuns gimmick-driven modernity, making it a touchstone for puja-goers who value continuity, ornament and reverence in equal measure. The chandeliers, the proportions of the temporary architecture and the disciplined idol together create an experience that feels both grand and grounded.

For many Kolkatans, a visit to Ekdalia is a fixed point of the Pujas — a place where the city’s love affair with spectacle is tempered by respect for form. Year after year it proves that a “traditional” puja can still be the most ambitious one on the map, and that heritage, properly staged, needs no apology.

• Established: 1943 (82nd year in 2025)
• Location: 15, Ekdalia Road, Ballygunge
• Signature: Sabeki idol, temple-replica pandals