Hatibagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav Kolkata

Hatibagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav — A North Kolkata Institution

Founded in 1934, the Hatibagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav is one of North Kolkata's most beloved community pujas, organised by the Hatibagan Sarbojanin Durgotsav Committee from 134 Sri Aurobindo Sarani, steps from the Hatibagan crossing and Shobhabazar Sutanuti Metro. Over nine decades it has become a cultural beacon north of the city centre, celebrated for blending Bengal's heritage arts with masterful, socially aware artistry.

The puja is famous for emotionally resonant, topical themes. In 2023 it presented "Doshar" (Companion), exploring human bonds; in 2024 it turned to Patachitra, Bengal's traditional scroll-painting, filling the pandal with patachitra artists and folk song; and in 2025 it unveiled "Athho Ghat Kotha" (The Story of the Endless Ghats). Conceived by artist Tapas Dutta with French artist Thomas Henriot, the 2025 pandal recreated the tiers of a riverside ghat and paid homage to Kolkata's forgotten Hooghly ghats—once stages for theatre, wrestling and devotion. The puja was inaugurated in 2025 by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Consistently featured in the city's "top pandals" lists, Hatibagan draws huge crowds for its craftsmanship, live art and community engagement such as health camps and cultural programmes. Its enduring legacy lies in how it has shaped both neighbourhood culture and pan-Kolkata Durga Puja traditions while keeping a deeply inclusive, local spirit.