Kolkata's Santosh Mitra Square puja marks 150 years of Vande Mataram
Representative image: Tanuj_handa / Pixabay
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari opened Santosh Mitra Square's 91st Durga Puja on 11 October 2026, themed on 150 years of Vande Mataram.
What Happened
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari inaugurated the Durga Puja at Santosh Mitra Square in Kolkata's Bowbazar area on Sunday, 11 October 2026. The puja, in its 91st year, has chosen "Vande Mataram" as its theme to mark the 150th anniversary of the national song. Organisers say the pandal recreates the song's journey and its role in India's freedom movement through lighting, sound and installations, and will feature a light-and-sound show for the first time. Earlier on Sunday, the Chief Minister attended a Mahalaya programme at Eden Gardens marking the start of the festive season.
Key Facts
- Puja: Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja, Bowbazar, Kolkata.
- Inaugurated by: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, on 11 October 2026.
- Year: the puja's 91st year.
- Theme: "Vande Mataram", marking 150 years of the national song.
- Design: lighting, sound and installations tracing the song's journey and its place in the independence movement, with a light-and-sound show introduced for the first time.
- A wall dedicated to Kolkata is reported to feature a statue of Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
- The Chief Minister also attended a Mahalaya event at Eden Gardens on the same day.
Why It Matters
Kolkata's community pujas build their pandals around themes, and this year a number of them have chosen historical and national subjects. A roundup of the city's leading theme pandals for 2026 lists ideas ranging from the lotus to Syama Prasad Mookerjee and the Partition. Santosh Mitra Square's organisers announced their Vande Mataram theme as early as July, giving artisans months to build the installations. A Vande Mataram theme connects the festival to the national song's anniversary and to Bengal's own role in the freedom struggle.
Recreating the story of Vande Mataram inside a pandal turns a festival visit into a lesson in history for many visitors, especially young people who may know the song mainly from ceremonies. The decision to use a light-and-sound show for the first time also reflects how pujas keep adding new technology to their presentations.
The Chief Minister's presence at the inauguration, on the same day he attended the Mahalaya programme at Eden Gardens, shows how closely the state's public life is tied to the festival.
For visitors planning pandal trips, the Bowbazar puja is now open, and its light-and-sound show adds an evening attraction.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Santosh Mitra Square, Bowbazar, Kolkata |
| Inauguration | 11 October 2026 |
| Edition | 91st year |
| Theme | Vande Mataram, 150 years |
| New feature | Light-and-sound show |
Impact
Short-term: The inauguration opens one of central Kolkata's major pujas to visitors, with large crowds expected through the festival days.
Long-term: Theme pandals built around historical subjects help keep public memory of events such as the freedom movement alive across generations.
Who is affected: Durga Puja visitors and devotees, puja organisers and artisans, local traders in Bowbazar, and Kolkata's police and civic services managing crowds.
Key Takeaway
Santosh Mitra Square's 91st Durga Puja, opened by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on 11 October 2026, celebrates 150 years of Vande Mataram with its first light-and-sound show.
Questions and Answers
Who inaugurated the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja in 2026?
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari inaugurated it on Sunday, 11 October 2026.
What is the theme this year?
"Vande Mataram", marking the 150th anniversary of the national song and its role in the freedom movement.
What is new at the pandal?
It features a light-and-sound show for the first time, along with lighting and installations tracing the song's history.
How old is this puja?
The Santosh Mitra Square puja is in its 91st year in 2026.
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
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
