Durga Puja Pandal in Delhi 2026: Dates & 15 Best Pandals

Durga Puja in Delhi is just days away. Most pandals run from 16 to 21 October 2026, with Ashtami on 18 October as the busiest day. Each Durga Puja pandal in Delhi keeps its own schedule, so pick your route early. Mela Ground and the Kali Mandir in Chittaranjan Park draw the biggest crowds.

For history, start at Kashmere Gate, Timarpur, or New Delhi Kali Bari. Minto Road is a central pick, and Matri Mandir Samity is calmer. Explore this guide to discover 15 popular Durga Puja pandals in Delhi, and browse WanderOn's events and festival tour packages for more celebrations.

• Mahalaya: Saturday, 10 October 2026: The festival countdown begins
• Maha Shashthi: Friday, 16 October 2026: The goddess is welcomed and pandals open
• Maha Saptami: Saturday, 17 October 2026: The main puja begins
• Maha Ashtami: Sunday, 18 October 2026 Pushpanjali, Kumari Puja and Sandhi Puja. The busiest day
• Maha Navami: Monday, 19 October 2026: The last day of the main puja
• Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra): Tuesday, 20 October 2026: Sindoor Khela and idol immersion (visarjan)

Note: There might be slight changes in the festival dates following thithi.

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The Timarpur & Civil Lines Puja Samity has celebrated Durga Puja since 1914, which makes it one of Delhi's oldest. The 2026 edition marks its 113th year, and its theme, Bangla in the Heart of Delhi: Letters That Built a Home, honours the Bengali families who made the city their home after the capital shifted from Kolkata in 1911.

Heritage installations and archival recreations bring the story to life, and evenings glow with dhunuchi dance, dhak, Sandhya Aarti, cultural performances and Bengali food. A large bhog distribution is organized too. It is a strong pick when you are choosing the best Durga Puja pandal in Delhi 2026 for heritage.

Pro Tip: Weekday mornings suit a relaxed look at the installations, while Sandhya Aarti is best caught at dusk.

Best for: Heritage, traditional rituals, cultural programmes and Bengali food

The Kashmere Gate Durga Puja holds a special place in the city's festive history. Dating back to 1910, it is the oldest community Durga Puja pandal in Delhi. The celebration began as a public puja at Roshanpura Kali Mandir and, over the years, found its present home on the lawns of the Bengali Senior Secondary School.

The focus here stays on tradition rather than elaborate modern decorations, which makes it a rewarding stop for anyone interested in the history of Bengali communities in Delhi.

Pro Tip: Visitors planning around Maha Ashtami can attend Pushpanjali, followed by Sandhi Puja later that morning, as listed for 2026.

Best for: Durga Puja history, traditional celebrations & rituals

Minto Road Durga Puja has been celebrated since 1940, and it has kept its identity rooted in tradition rather than leaning only on an elaborate theme. The idol and the rituals sit at the heart of the celebration, with cultural programmes adding warmth to the evenings. Being in the middle of the city makes it a convenient stop for anyone looking for the best puja pandal in Delhi.

The idol is consistently sculpted in the traditional Sabeki style with elegant, classic features & Daaker Saaj embellishments. Evening visitors can plan around the cultural programme & bhog timings announced by the committee, since these are best confirmed closer to the date.

Best for: Traditional Puja, cultural programmes & a central location

The Aram Bagh Durga Puja is a welcome option in central Delhi, especially for visitors staying around Paharganj and Jhandewalan who are searching for a Durga Puja celebration near me without a long journey across the city.

The festivities are centred on the community pandal at Durga Puja Park, where daily puja activities anchor the festival. While it provides a warm community atmosphere, this puja is actually famous across the city for its massive, high-concept theme installations and grand artistic scales.

It makes an easy addition to a Delhi itinerary for anyone who would rather skip the trip to South Delhi but still wants to experience a spectacular, award-winning mega-pandal. Evenings are the best time to go, when the grand structure is beautifully lit up and the festive atmosphere is at its liveliest.

Best for: Central Delhi visitors and a neighbourhood Puja experience

New Delhi's Kali Bari is among the most established Bengali cultural and religious centres in the capital, and its Durga Puja has been held since 1925.

The celebration follows a traditional style, with an ekchala idol that brings the entire Durga family together within a single frame and sholar kaaj decoration, delicate artwork shaped from sola pith.

Visitors comparing the best Durga Puja in Delhi for ritual and cultural depth will find this a rewarding visit, especially if the puja itself matters more than photographing the pandal. The Kali Bari also remains a gathering point for Delhi's Bengali community.

Best for: Traditional Bengali Puja, rituals and cultural heritage

Matri Mandir Samity is a long-running South Delhi Puja held in B-2 Block, Safdarjung Enclave, and 2026 marks its 60th Durga Puja. The celebration brings the main religious ceremonies together with a program of music, dance, and drama.

This is a single-neighbourhood Durga Puja pandal in Delhi, not a multi-pandal circuit like CR Park, so one evening is enough to enjoy it. Our team has found that this pandal works well for first-timers and families who prefer not to rush between locations.

Best for: South Delhi visitors, cultural programmes and a relaxed one-pandal evening

D Block is a community-run pandal, and the block's residents spend months of meetings planning it each year. It is a calmer stop than Mela Ground, which suits families and first-time visitors who want to see the Puja as a neighbourhood event rather than a big public show. For anyone planning Durga Puja in CR Park Delhi, it is a short walk from the Kali Mandir, so the two pair well in one outing.

Best for: Community atmosphere, traditional Puja and easy pandal hopping

Mela Ground is the flagship pandal of Chittaranjan Park Durga Puja, held on the open ground along Bipin Chandra Pal Marg. The 2026 Puja is its 51st year. It is known for large themed structures, and a past edition recreated Mahishadal Rajbari, a palace from East Medinipur. A main stage hosts cultural programs, and a food court serves Bengali dishes. The heaviest crowds come on Ashtami and Navami, making a weekday visit much calmer. Expected Bhog and items: luchi-aloor dum, khichuri, labra, beguni, fish fry and mishti.

Best for: Grand themes, cultural programmes and Bengali food

Navapalli Puja Samiti holds its Puja in Pocket 40 of Chittaranjan Park, and 2026 is its 34th year. It is known for nostalgic, story-led themes, and the 2025 edition drew on a Bengali wedding, with the goddess dressed as a bride in a red Banarasi. Crowds are high on the main Puja days, so an afternoon or a weekday evening gives an easier walk through the pandal.

Best for: Nostalgic themes, early-evening pandal hopping and community celebrations

The Durga Puja at the Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir began in 1977, and the temple complex, with shrines of Shiva, Kali and Radhakrishna, was built in 1984. The Kali Mandir Society runs it and holds religious and cultural events through the year. The Puja keeps its focus on worship and ritual, with no big theme, and cultural programmes and competitions for children are part of it. Ashtami and Navami, 18 and 19 October, draw the biggest crowds.

Best for: Rituals, devotion and the cultural side of CR Park

Tips for Visiting CR Park During Durga Puja

1. Plan two or three pandals in an evening, not all four. Queues at Mela Ground can run past an hour on peak nights.
2. Start at the Kali Mandir, where the other three pandals are five to ten minutes away on foot, and keep Mela Ground for last.
3. Each organiser sets its own programme and ritual timings, so check the day's schedule before you head out.

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Milani Durga Puja is a well-known community Puja in Mayur Vihar Phase 1. For anyone exploring East Delhi, it offers a Bengali celebration nearby, without the long drive across the city to CR Park.

The pandal is known for its themes. Earlier editions drew on Indian art and cultural traditions, while the idol and the rituals stayed at the heart of the Puja. The committee will confirm this year's concept on its official page closer to Shashthi on 16 October. Saptami evening is a calmer slot than Ashtami, the busiest day across Delhi.

Best for: East Delhi visitors and themed pandal experiences

Aikotaan Durga Puja Park is one of West Delhi's notable Pujas, organised by Aikotaan Kalibari O Sewa Samiti, a non-political socio-cultural group based in Dwarka. The 2026 edition is its 25th, running from 16 to 20 October.

Rituals come with dhunuchi naach, cultural performances and Bengali food. One to two hours is enough to cover it well. Dwarka residents get a full Puja evening without crossing Delhi.

Worth Noting: The pandal is on Road No. 201 in Sector 4, right on the main road, and visitor reviews mention easy parking in the service lane.

Best for: Dwarka, West Delhi and community celebrations

Paschim Delhi Kalibari in Janakpuri is an established Bengali community Puja in West Delhi, & 2026 marks its 69th year. The organisers invite visitors from 16 to 21 October.

Rituals here follow the Bengali method. Sources reveal that last year's Ashtami Sandhya Pujan ran from 5:43 pm to 6:31 pm, and the slot moves with the tithi, so confirm the 2026 timing with the temple. A free langar is served on Puja days.

Best for: West Delhi visitors and a traditional community Puja

Durgotsav GK II turns 35 in 2026, and the Puja is held at Uday Shankar Park in E-Block. The pandal follows the Bonedi Pujo style, recreating the look of old Kolkata family Pujas and leaning on traditional craft over pop-culture displays. This year's theme is Vande Mataram, told through Bengal's Chalchitra art, as per the organisers' 2026 details.

Community bhog is served in the afternoon on Maha Ashtami and Navami. Evenings bring Sankirtan, music and theatre readings on the open-air Naat Mondir stage.

Best for: South Delhi visitors, bhog lovers and cultural programmes

Antaranga is a registered socio-cultural society formed by residents of Mayur Vihar Phase 1 Extension, and 2026 is its 34th Puja. The celebration is held at the DDA ground in the Extension and has stayed close to a traditional community Puja. A past edition recreated the Vivekananda Rock Memorial alongside a traditional Debi Protima idol.

Evenings bring dhak, community plays, dance and Bengali songs. The society also publishes a souvenir magazine every year. Together with Milani, it is one of Mayur Vihar's two best-known Pujas, so both fit into a single evening.

Best for: East Delhi visitors and community Pujas with cultural performances

Do not try to cover all 15 pandals in one day. Delhi's traffic, walking distances, and festival crowds can easily turn pandal hopping into a rushed trip.

Instead, choose one area:

• South Delhi: CR Park (Navapalli → D Block → Mela Ground → Kali Mandir)
• Central Delhi: Minto Road → New Delhi Kali Bari
• North Delhi: Timarpur & Civil Lines Puja Samity → Kashmere Gate Durga Puja (These two are close enough to combine into a single, short walking circuit)
• East Delhi: Milani → Antaranga
• West Delhi: Aikotaan (Dwarka) → Paschim Delhi Kalibari (Janakpuri)

(Note: Take a short metro or cab ride between these two, as they are too far apart to walk)

CR Park is the easiest cluster for a dedicated Durga Puja pandal-hopping evening because it has multiple celebrations concentrated within the same neighbourhood. Nehru Enclave is one of the most practical Metro access points, although Nehru Place and Greater Kailash are also options depending on which part of CR Park you are visiting.

There are also guided Durga Puja pandal-hopping tours in Delhi, which can be a convenient option if you want to visit multiple pandals without planning the route yourself.