Durga Puja in Mumbai

Some Pujas in Mumbai

Durga Puja is a festival celebrated with great passion and enthusiasm in Kolkata. It is also known as Durgotsav or Sharodotsav.

Nowadays one can catch the glimpse of Kolkata Durga Puja in Mumbai with Bengalis living in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm. Idol of maa Durga is created by renowned artists from Bengal. Various cultural programs, and fairs.

There are lots of Pujas organized by Bengalis staying here. They get holiday only on Dussehra, so most of them take a leave in Nabami or Ashtami to hop around city's pandals.

Lokhandwala Durga Puja is perhaps the most famous Durga puja in Mumbai also known as time's Durgotsav or Abhijit's Puja.

Lokhandwala Durga Puja

The celebration almost starts from Chaturthi. It's about 5 km from Andheri Railway Station and 3.5 km from Jogeshwari Railway station. One can easily get an auto rickshaw from any of the station to reach Lokhandwala. the puja takes place at Lokhandwala garden which is a part of Lokhandwala Complex.

There was also a puja in Andheri DN Nagar Near Andheri police station but unfortunately, I was not able to locate the puja last year (2015).

Lokhandwala Durga Puja

Juhu Cultural Association

Juhu cultural Association's puja takes place inside IMA hall which is opposite JVPD Ground(usually organizes Dandia). It's about 3 km from Andheri station. and about 4.5 km from Lokhandwala Durga puja(the route which I choose).

North Bombay Durga Puja or Mukherjee family puja takes place inside tulip star hotel. One can expect to encounter celebrities; especially during Bijaya Dashami. Tulip star is situated at Juhu Tara Road and is 2.4 km from Vile Parle Station and 1.5 km from Juhu Cultural Association.

North Bombay Durga Puja

Then one can go to Ram Krishna Mission to see their puja which I did. Ram Krishna Mission is situated in 12th Road which is 4.5 km from Tulip Star and 1km from Khar railway station.

Ram Krishna Mission

Natunpalli Durga Puja or Shaki Samanta Durga Puja; it takes place near national college off linking road (near St Theresa Church and Patwardhan Park). The location is about 2 km from Ram Krishna Mission and 1.5 km from Khar railway station. Bandra railway station is also 1.5 km from it.

Nutanpalli Durga Puja

Bengal Club or Shivaji Park Durga Puja is one of the oldest Puja in Mumbai. Unlike other here, one can not only find Bengali food stall but also handicrafts, handloom stalls. The location is 4.5 km from Natunpalli Durga Puja.

Bengal Club

Bombay Durgabari Samiti organizes their puja in Tejpal Hall near August Kranti Maidan. The Puja is 86 years old and is one of the oldest pujas. The location is about 10 km from Bengal club Durga Puja and about 1 km from grant road railway station.

Bombay Durga Bari

Another old puja is Kalba Devi sarbojonin which is organized at Madhav Baug, C.P. Tank near (Kasturba Devi circle or CP Tank circle, Madhavbag Dharmasala). The road is bit congested.The location is 2.5 km from Bombay Durgabari Samiti.

Kalbadevi Sarbojonin

Chembur Durga puja, I guess creates one of the best pandal in Mumbai. The puja take place near Chembur High school or Chembur fish market off Ramkrishna chemburkar marg. The location is about 2km from Chembur Railway station.

Chembur Durga Puja

Next day I started from Thane to see the remaining Pujas.

Mulund Durga Puja organized by Bengal Institute of Art & Culture at Kalidas Natya Mandir Complex which is 1 km from Mulund Railway station.

Mulund Durga Puja

Navajeevan Sangha organizes their puja at Nalanda ground, Madan Mohan Malaviya Road, Near St.piusschool/MTNL Quarters,Mulund West.

Navajeevan Sangha

Naval Colony in Kanjurmarg also organizes a Durga Puja; however, the guards told me that special permission is needed from the locals to enter. After requesting them they allowed to me to go in. The entrance of naval colony is opposite to Huma Big cinema.

One can find two Durga pujas in Powai

Spandan Durga Puja: Spandan Foundation organizes their puja near Lake Boulevard Road near cafe Mangii Powai. Various kinds of cultural functions are also organized by Spandan and small fair is also organized here.

Spandan

PBWA(Powai Bengali Welfare Association) is one of the famous puja in Mumbai. The location is at Powai Fest Ground, Orchard Avenue Powai. It's quite a big ground they organize cultural functions and food stalls.

PBWA Puja

Some Pujas at NAVI MUMBAI

Airoli Durga Puja; on way to Navi Mumbai from Mumbai it's better to enter through Airoli as one can encounter Airoli Durga Puja which is organized by Airoli Kalibari Association. The puja is organized at Bhaskar Gadi Udyan (Opp. MORE/Dominos), Sector-5, Airoli. It is about 2km from Airoli station

Airoli Durga Puja

Koparkhairane Durga Puja is organized at a ground opposite to St Marry school, near Dmart.

Koparkhairane Durga Puja

Vashi Cultural Association organizes their puja at NMMT Ground, Sector 12, Vashi can be easily spotted from the Vashi road.Fair, exhibition and cultural program are also organized.

Vashi Cultural Association

Navi Mumbai Bengali Association has their durga Puja venue at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Sports Ground, Sector 1A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai which is opposite to IES school. One can expect some crowd during the evening and night hours.

Navi Mumbai Bengali Association

Assam Bhavan Also organizes a small puja in their compound which is situated at sector 30, opposite to center one.

Assam Bhawan

Some Pujas in Thane

Amra Probashi at Hiranandani Estate; it is about 9 km from Thane railway station however on the way back one can encounter few more pujas.

Amra Probashi

New Bengal Club Durga Puja is organized at mulla baug, the make themed pandal every year like PBWA. The puja is organized at Mullah Baugh, Near Neelkanth Woods.

New Bengal Club

It is about 4km away from Hirandani Estate. and about 8km from Thane station.

On your way to Navodaya Sangha can Puja by Fulcrum Cultural Foundation.

Fulcrum Cultural Foundation

Navodaya Sangha organizes their puja at khewara road, near Kashinath Natya Griha.It is about 7km away from railway station and 2km from New Bengal club Durga Puja.

Navodaya Sangha

Bangiya Parisad organizes their puja at Highland Gardens, Balkum., Dholkali-Balkum Road.

They also organized fair and cultural program as they have one huge ground to organize. The location is about 6 km from Thane station and about 3 km from Navodaya Sangha.

Bangiya Parisad

Other Pujas
Kopri Durga Puja near Kopri firebrigade, Thane East
Bengali Welfare Association, Ghansoli Jeejamata Nagar, Sector 9, Ghansoli
Bengali Association Nerul, St Jnaneshwar Mauli Marg, Ayappa Road, Nerul East
Amra Prabashi, Ramleela Maidan, Nerul West
Bhandup Durga Puja, Tara singh compound, Bhandup West

Not only these, but also there are many other pujas which i didn't get a chance to see

Thakur village, Kandivali East
Malad Durga Puja, Malad West
Kharghar Bengali Welfare Association, Sector 20

Durga Pooja

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