Fairs & Festivals

Durga Puja : The most important and the most popular of all Bengali festivals is the Durgapuja. It is celebrated throughout the state, but with great grandeur in Calcutta. There are some ancestral houses in Calcutta where Durgapuja is being observed over decades and even over centuries.

Iskcon Rathayatra : Rathayatra is celebrated all over the State, but the one on a grand scale in Calcutta is organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Three Chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra are taken out of their temple on Albert Road to the strip of Maidan bordering the Victoria Memorial. After seven days, these are taken back again to the temple.


Dover Lane Music Conference : The largest Indian Classical musical event in Calcutta, the Dover Lane Music Conference has been taking place for the last 25 years. The festival is presented at Nazrul Mancha every year between January 22 and 26.


Calcutta Book Fair : Held every year from the end of January till early February, this 12-day long Book Fair is held over a large chunk of the Maidan near the crossing of Chowringhee and Park Street.

Calcutta Film Festival : Every November between 10 and 17, the Calcutta Film Festival is a gala event, showing films in various theaters, holding seminars, exhibitions and book bazars, attracting large crowds of film-lovers. The hub of all activities is Nandan.

National Theatre Festival : Keeping true to its tradition of theatre, Calcutta has an annual theatre festival between 16 and 25 December, organised by Nandikar theatre group. Held usually at the Academy of Fine Arts, it is a unique fare of theatre happenings in the country as well as in the neighbouring countries.

Jatra Festival : A form of entertainment, exclusive in Bengal, is Jatra. A month-long festival of Jatra shows is held at Rabindra Kanan, Chitpur during December-January.