উৎসব The days

Five days, and the one that calls them in

বোধন থেকে বিসর্জন

Timings below are the committee's working plan. Ritual timings that depend on the tithi, Sandhi Puja above all, are confirmed by the priest closer to the day and announced on WhatsApp and Instagram.

––Daysদিন

––Hoursঘণ্টা

––Minutesমিনিট

––Secondsসেকেন্ড

Add the dates to your calendar Tata Memorial Club (TMC) Ground, opposite the SBI branch, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012

মহালয়া

Mahalaya

10 October 2026 Saturday

The fortnight of the ancestors ends and the fortnight of the goddess begins

Before dawn, Bengal turns on the radio for a recitation broadcast every year since the 1930s. On the same day the idol receives its eyes, and the count that has run quietly since Rath Yatra becomes visible to everyone else.

04:00Mahishasuramardini on airমহিষাসুরমর্দিনীBirendra Krishna Bhadra's recitation, as it has opened the season for close to a century.

MorningTarpan for the ancestorsতর্পণ

DayChokkhu Daan, the giving of eyesচক্ষুদান

মহাষষ্ঠী

Maha Shashthi

16 October 2026 Friday

Bodhon, when the goddess is woken out of season

The face of the idol is uncovered. Bodhon, Astradan, Amantran and Adhibas follow in order, so she is woken, armed, invited and made welcome. The dhak sounds for the first time and the ground stops being a ground.

by 8:30 AMBodhon, Astradan, Amantran and Adhibasবোধন, অস্ত্রদান, আমন্ত্রণ ও অধিবাসAt the TMC ground.

6:30 PMPuja inauguration and Sandhya Aratiপুজো উদ্বোধন, সন্ধ্যারতি

মহাসপ্তমী

Maha Saptami

17 and 18 October 2026 Saturday and Sunday

Nabapatrika is installed on one day and worshipped on the next

Nine plants are bound together, bathed and dressed in a bordered sari. Most households know her as Kola Bou and seat her at Ganesh's side, and that name has held for centuries. In the ritual itself she is Durga, in her oldest green form, from before anyone thought to give her a face.

17 Oct, 7:00 AMNabapatrika Snan and Prabeshনবপত্রিকা স্নান ও প্রবেশ

18 Oct, by 5:53 AMSaptami Pujaসপ্তমী পূজা

6:30 PMSandhya Arati and cultural eveningসন্ধ্যারতি, সাংস্কৃতিক অনুষ্ঠান

মহাষ্টমী

Maha Ashtami

19 October 2026 Monday

The longest queue, the loudest dhak, and the forty-eight minutes

Anjali in new clothes in the morning, and then the seam between Ashtami and Nabami when the lamps are lit and nobody speaks. Sandhi Puja is the still centre of five loud days.

6:00 AMMaha Ashtami Puja and Pushpanjaliমহাষ্টমী পুজো, পুষ্পাঞ্জলি

7:26 to 8:14 AMSandhi Pujaসন্ধি পুজোThe last twenty-four minutes of Ashtami and the first twenty-four of Nabami.

6:30 PMSandhya Arati and cultural eveningসন্ধ্যারতি, সাংস্কৃতিক অনুষ্ঠান

মহানবমী

Maha Nabami

20 October 2026 Tuesday

The day everyone pretends tomorrow is not coming

Homa in the morning, the largest bhog of the five days at noon, and an evening that runs long because nobody wants to be the first to leave.

8:30 AMNabami Puja and Homaনবমী পুজো ও হোম

6:30 PMSandhya Arati and cultural eveningসন্ধ্যারতি, সাংস্কৃতিক অনুষ্ঠান

বিজয়া দশমী

Bijoya Dashami

21 October 2026 Wednesday

Debi Boron, vermilion, and the walk back

She is welcomed one last time before she goes, given sweets and sent off. Then vermilion, embraces, and the year-long wait that Bengalis pretend not to be counting.

by 8:31 AMDashami Pujaবিজয়া দশমী পুজো

12:00 PMDebi Boron and Sindoor Khelaদেবী বরণ ও সিঁদুর খেলাOpen to everyone who wants to take part.

6:00 PMBisarjanপ্রতিমা নিরঞ্জন

Coming for the first time?

Anjali is free and open to everyone. Arrive a little before the announced time, wash your hands, and take a place in line. Flowers are provided. You do not need to know the mantras; you repeat after the priest.
Bhog is served to all. Khichuri, labra, chutney and a sweet, on a leaf plate, sitting on the floor in rows. There is no ticket and no guest list.
Nothing is compulsory. Plenty of people come only for the dhak, the food and the crowd, and that is a complete way to attend a Puja.
Dress as you like. Many wear new clothes because that is the custom, not a rule.

Words you will hear

বোধন Bodhon: Waking the goddess, out of her proper season.
অঞ্জলি Anjali: Flowers offered from cupped palms, with the priest leading the verses.
সন্ধিপূজা Sandhi Puja: The forty-eight minutes across the Ashtami-Nabami seam. A hundred and eight lamps.
ভোগ Bhog: Food offered to the goddess, then served to everyone present.
ধুনুচি Dhunuchi: An earthen censer of burning resin, danced with at arati.
সিঁদুরখেলা Sindoor Khela: Vermilion on Dashami, as she is about to leave.
বিসর্জন Bisarjan: Immersion. The clay goes back to the water it came from.

The crafts behind all of this