Kolkata's Santosh Mitra Square wins Bengal's first Devi Durga Samman as best puja
File photo: Rajat (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Kolkata's Santosh Mitra Square puja won the top 'Serar Sera' prize in Bengal's Devi Durga Samman 2026, announced on October 16; 23 committees were honoured.
What Happened
Kolkata's Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja has been named "Serar Sera", the best of the best, in the West Bengal government's Devi Durga Samman 2026 awards, which the state announced on Friday, October 16, 2026. Brindaban Garden and Chorbagan Sarbojanin took second and third place in the top category. In all, 23 puja committees featured in the awards list, announced by Minister of State Purnima Chakraborty. The Devi Durga Samman replaces the state's earlier Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman, which has been renamed this year after the change of government in West Bengal. The awards came just before Shashthi, when the main days of Durga Puja begin.
Key Facts
- Santosh Mitra Square won the top "Serar Sera" (best of the best) honour in the Devi Durga Samman 2026.
- Brindaban Garden came second and Chorbagan Sarbojanin third in the top category.
- 23 puja committees were on the awards list, which included four 'Best Puja' winners, three 'Best Marquee' winners and four 'Best Social Awareness' winners.
- Mudiali Club won the award for best idol, 25 Palli in Khidirpur for best marquee, and Kashi Bose Lane was recognised for social awareness.
- The awards were announced on October 16, 2026, by Minister of State Purnima Chakraborty.
- The state's earlier Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman has been renamed the Devi Durga Samman.
Why It Matters
Durga Puja in Kolkata is both a religious festival and a vast public art event. Neighbourhood committees build pandals and idols around themes, and awards help steer crowds to particular pandals in the few days of the festival. A state government prize is one of the most visible of these honours.
The new name is significant too. Changing Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman to Devi Durga Samman puts the goddess at the centre of the award's identity, and it is one of the visible changes that have followed the change of government in the state. The top-winning puja at Santosh Mitra Square is organised by Sajal Ghosh, a BJP MLA and councillor, according to reports.
For visitors, the list is a ready guide to pandal-hopping, while the social awareness awards point to pujas that use their pandals to carry public messages. Separate prizes for idols and marquees also recognise the craftspeople whose work is at the heart of the festival.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Serar Sera (best of the best) | Santosh Mitra Square |
| Second place | Brindaban Garden |
| Third place | Chorbagan Sarbojanin |
| Best idol | Mudiali Club |
| Best marquee | 25 Palli, Khidirpur |
Impact
Short-term: The award-winning pandals can expect even bigger crowds over Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami and Navami, and police will plan crowd control accordingly.
Long-term: The renamed Devi Durga Samman sets a new identity for the state's puja awards, which committees will now compete for in future years.
Who is affected: Kolkata's puja committees, idol makers and pandal artisans, visitors planning pandal-hopping routes, and the city's police and transport services.
Key Takeaway
Santosh Mitra Square tops the first Devi Durga Samman, Bengal's renamed state award for the best Durga Pujas, just as Kolkata's festival reaches its main days.
Questions and Answers
Which Kolkata Durga Puja won the Devi Durga Samman 2026?
Santosh Mitra Square won the top "Serar Sera" award, with Brindaban Garden second and Chorbagan Sarbojanin third, according to the list announced on October 16, 2026.
What is the Devi Durga Samman?
It is the West Bengal government's award for Durga Puja committees. It replaces the Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman, which was renamed this year after the change of government in the state.
How many puja committees were honoured?
23 committees featured in the awards list, across categories including best puja, best idol, best marquee and best social awareness.
Who won the best idol and best marquee awards?
Mudiali Club won best idol and 25 Palli in Khidirpur won best marquee.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
