Durga Puja festival celebration tour in West Bengal

Upon arrival in Kolkata, you will be met by our representative, and will be escorted to your hotel. After checking in, you will have the day to yourself, and you can either relax, or explore the beautiful city.

Kolkata is the capital of the state of West Bengal, and is one known for its rich culture, and scrumptious delicacies. Being the capital of India from 1773 to 1911, Kolkata is also home to several monuments and buildings, which date back to the time prior to a free, democratic India. Apart from these, Kolkata also abodes the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, where lies the tomb of Mother Teresa, the nun who spent her life in providing care to the impoverished and dying people of the slums of Calcutta (now, Kolkata). Additionally, the well-known Durga Puja, with pomp and show, is celebrated in the city of Kolkata at an extremely large scale, and is a hard to miss event. From the modern buildings, to the royal architectures, things may be contrasting, but they complement each other in the astonishing city of Kolkata. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

After starting your day with a hearty breakfast, you will prepare yourself to visit the various beauties of Kolkata. From the sight tour of Victoria Memorial, the place which is often regarded to as the “Taj Mahal of British Raj”, to the visit to Indian Museum, which was established in 1814, the day will be full of adventure and a peek in the history. The visits will also include the New Market- an exceptionally famous market on the Chowringhee Road, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Marble Palace, which is the house to paintings from famous artists like Rubens, Reynolds, and Titian. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

After starting your day with breakfast, you can explore and visit places like the famous flower market that is located near the Howrah Bridge, along with an enjoyable boat ride at the Hooghly River.

This will be followed by departing from Kolkata towards the remotely located hill of Kalimpong, which is situated in the deep valleys of the Himalayas, and is known for its buildings which belong to the colonial era, like MacFarlane Memorial Church.

After checking into the hotel, you can visit the three well known monasteries including Tongsa, Tharpa Choeling and Zong Dog Palro Fo-Brang. Apart from these, you can also visit the several ancient churches or the local, vibrant market locale, called the Tenth Mile, where you can find several Tibetan and Buddhist handicrafts and knick knacks. There also more than half a century nursery, with a range of orchids and other flowers as well, which makes Kalimpong famous for its horticulture. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

After breakfast, you will depart from Kalimpong, and travel towards Gangtok. After checking into the hotel, you will have the rest of the day to either relax or explore the nearby area.

Gangtok is a beautiful place, and gives an insight of the authentic Tibetan culture, given its close proximity to the Tibetan border. The capital of the state of Sikkim, Gangtok is a place filled with beauty and richness. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

After breakfast, you can enjoy a day filled with sight-seeing. This can include an adventure packed excursion to the Rumtek Monastery, along with a trip to the Namgyalak Institute of Tibetology and several other destinations. Wear your adventure shoes and explore Gangtok. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Post breakfast, departure from Gangtok towards Pelling, via Tashiding. Check in at the hotel on arrival. Pelling is a small town located in Sikkim, at the foothills of Mount Khangchendzonga. It is known for its beautiful monasteries. You can visit the Pemayangtse Monastery, which features several sculptures, paintings and other artifacts. It was founded in the 17th century, and has since been considered one of the principal monasteries of Sikkim. You can enjoy the breathtaking views of several other locales, and areas like numerous waterfalls and vegetation’s. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

After breakfast, you will leave Pelling, and travel towards Darjeeling. Check in at the hotel on arrival. Darjeeling is a beautiful place to visit, and once served as the resort for the British Raj elites. It is hugely known for the world famous Darjeeling black tea, and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, also known as the toy train. You will be free to rest on Day 7, or explore the neighboring areas. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

An early day, you can start by a visit to the Tiger Hills, for a spectacular view of the sunrise. You can also visit the Ghoom Gompa monastery, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Park, Peace Pagoda and sightseeing some other beautiful places. This can be followed by a visit to a real tea estate. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Starting with a scrumptious breakfast, you can explore Darjeeling by yourself. Be it going to the several monasteries, taking a peek in mountaineering at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, or visiting the Tibetan Refugee Center, which is located in Darjeeling due to its close proximity to Tibet, and where you can spot several old and craft workshops. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Departure from Darjeeling towards Kolkata, post arrival. You will be checked in at the hotel, and you can either relax or explore the city. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Festival of Durga Puja is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India. From beautifully handcrafted idols to astonishingly decorated pandals, Durga Puja is often regarded as the festival of the year in West Bengal, and you can experience it the best in Kolkata. Durga Puja Festival is celebrated during the last five days of Navaratri and Dussehra. Durga Puja is celebrated in a similar manner to the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The start of the festival sees huge, elaborately crafted statues of Goddess Durga installed in homes and beautifully decorated podiums all over the city. At the end of the festival, the statues are paraded through the streets, accompanied by music and dancing, and then immersed in the water. Around one week before the festival starts, on the occasion of Mahalaya, the Goddess is invited to come to the earth. The eyes are drawn on the idols of the Goddess on this day, in an auspicious ritual called Chokkhu Daan. After the idols of Goddess Durga have been installed, a ritual is performed to invoke her holy presence into them on Saptami. This ritual is called Pran Pratisthan. Prayers are offered to the Goddess every day during the festival, and she is worshiped in her various forms. On Ashtami, Goddess Durga is worshiped in the form of a virgin girl in a ritual called the Kumari Puja. On the last day, Durga returns to her husband's abode and the statutes are taken for immersion. Married women offer red vermillion powder to the Goddess and smear themselves with it. You can spend the entire day engrossed in all the related festivities and events that take place all around the city. Either go from pandal to pandal, or stay at one, and experience the culture, it is up to you. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

After a trip full of excitement and adventure, you trip will end on Day 12, and you will be escorted to by a representative to the airport or railway station, post check-out for your onward destination.