Festivals & Events

Bardhaman has a proverb-worthy density of festivals. The Bengali saying ‘Baro masey tero parban’ (thirteen festivals in twelve months) is applied to the district with particular force. Below are the highlights: 
Durga Puja: October (timing varies). The grandest event in the Bengali calendar; the city’s pandals are elaborate and community participation is total. Expect large crowds, colourful processions and superb festive food.
Kali Puja: October/November (day after Diwali). The city’s Kali temples, Kankaleshwari and the Golden Kalibari, are at their most atmospheric. A night visit to Kankaleshwari during Kali Puja is particularly memorable.
Maha Shivaratri: February/March. The Nawabhat 108 Shib Mandir holds a week-long fair; the evening atmosphere with all 108 shrines lit is extraordinary. The single best time to visit this complex.
Rathayatra: June/July. The Chariot Festival; colourful processions in the town.
Gajan of Shiva: Last day of Bengali month of Choitro (mid-April). A folk festival with rituals and a fair at Karui.
Bardhaman Food Festival: Dates vary (check locally). A celebration of the city’s culinary heritage with Baul performances, Chhau mask dances and abundant Sitabhog and Mihidana.