Durga Puja 2025: Exploring history and heritage in Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Tripura

New Delhi: Durga Puja 2025, the grand celebration of the Goddess Durga’s victory over evil, is just around the corner. Celebrated for five days from Shashti to Dashami, this occasion is not just a festival; it’s an emotion for devotees across the world. Celebrated with devotion, grandeur, and style, the festivity is all about pandal hopping, cultural rituals, and dressing up in the finest ethnic attire. However, India is known for unity in diversity. And it’s absolutely true when it comes to celebrating the same festival in different ways in different regions and states.

Durga Puja is celebrated mainly in states like Assam, West Bengal, Odisha and Tripura. But each of the states has a different history and heritage of Durga Puja celebrations. If in Assam, Durga Puja celebrations started in 1850, and in West Bengal, it started in 997 AD, Odisha’s Durga Puja celebration began in the 11th century and Tripura’s 500 years ago. It’s really fascinating to know about it. So, let’s delve deeper for more information.

Here is the detailed information about the history of Durga Puja celebrations in the four states of India.

1. Assam

Ahom King Rudra Singha is given the credit of commencing the tradition of royally-sponsored Durga Puja at Gargaon. The celebration later shifted to Rongpur and then to Burhi Gosani Devalaya in Jorhat, as the capital moved.

King Rudra Singha introduced the rituals and idol worship, and the idols were believed to be brought from the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya.

In Zamindar Bari, a place in Dhubri district’s Gauripur, the Durga Puja celebration has a history of more than 400 years. Originally celebrated in Rangamati, it was moved to Gauripur by King Pratap Chandra Barua in 1850.

In Sivasagar, the Devi Doul is historically significant as the Ahom rulers were believed to follow the tradition of distributing the Mahashtami prasad first to certain Muslim and local families (Doullah, Konseng Barpatra Gohain), which shows long-standing communal unity.

2. West Bengal

Bishnupur’s Mrinmoyee Temple is known to be the oldest place to celebrate Durga Puja in the Bengal region. Initiated by Jagat Malla, it was started around 997 AD.

The earliest recorded household Durga Puja in Bengal was by noble or landlord families. As per one source, the Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family held the first Durga Puja in the Kolkata area in 1610.

Over time, the practice of celebrating Durga Puja moved from royal and landlord households to community or Barowari or Sarbojanin puja in the 18th century.

3. Odisha

Odisha’s Durga Puja or Puja-by-Gosani tradition is ancient. Puri’s Gosani Jatra is one of the oldest forms still practised.

The worship of Maa Durga’s clay idols is said to have been introduced during the reign of Ganga King Chodaganga Dev in Puri in the 11th century.

A recorded public Durga Puja celebration in Odisha is said to date from 1832 in Cuttack’s Kazi Bazaar area.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s visit in the early 16th century to Cuttack is also said to have influenced or introduced Durga Puja at Balu Bazar.

4. Tripura

Tripura’s famous Durga Puja at Durgabari Temple in Agartala is over 500 years old, started by the royal family.

It is state-sponsored and closely overseen by the erstwhile royal dynasty even now.

A more recent version of the Durga Puja was introduced by King Krishna Kishore Manikya Bahadur in the early 19th century in Durgabari.

1. Attire

During Durga Puja pandal hopping and other rituals, Assamese mostly wear mekhela sador, whereas in West Bengal, women mainly wear red red-bordered white saree. In Odisha, women wear Sambalpuri, whereas in Tripura, women are seen in rignai attire. However, young people and children wear modern attire.

2. Popular dishes

Bengal: Khichuri, labra, bhog and fish dishes

Assam: Pitha, khichdi and doi-chira

Odisha: Dalma, chhena poda and rasabali

Tripura: Blend of Bengali bhog and tribal delicacies

3. Durga Puja pandals

Bengal is known for its themed artistic pandals, while Odisha is popular for its silver filigree work on pandals, and Assam is renowned for community-focused and theme-based pandals, while Tripura is known for a blend of folk arts and Bengali culture.

4. Cultural activities and rituals

Bengal enchants with dhak, dhunuchi naach, sindoor khela and cultural activities, while Bihu dance and music echo during Durga Puja. Odisha’s folk troupes and Tripura’s tribal dances mesmerise everyone.

5. Same spirit but regional flavours

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What these states share about Durga Puja celebration is the common rituals like idol worship, bhog offering, and immersion of Maa Durga’s idol with the hope that Maa Durga will come again next year.

Despite different ways of celebrations and flavours, the Durga Puja festivity is about beautiful art, delicious food, ethnic and modern fashion, and the unity of family and communities.