Festivals in Siliguri

Siliguri is situated in the state of West Bengal, known to be a land of many festivals. Some of the major festivals celebrated in Siliguri are:

Durga Puja: The festival of Durga Puja has a cult of its own in Siliguri. It draws all kinds of crowd from far and wide. The beauty of the festival lies not only in the arrival of the Goddess along with her divine retinue and her ceremonial worships, but also the paraphernalia that has got attached to the festival over the decades. You will experience true bliss with melodious sounds of Dhak and Mantra chants throughout all the festive nights. And, hands down, Siliguri is one of the best places to experience Puja in its all festive spins. It's all about gathering the Bongs from different parts of the world come to celebrate this holy festival with their family and friends. It's the time when you can see the city in vibrant colors and even the darkest corner glows up with glittering lights. During the Durga Puja Festival, the city explodes with more than thousand thematic as well as colorful pandals which attract a huge number of crowds and making it one of the biggest autumn festivals in the world.

Chhath Puja: Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival historically native to the Indian subcontinent, more specifically, the Indian state of Bihar along with West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and

the southern parts of Nepal. It has become popular with the Nepali hilly community in the recent years, thanks to the influence of southern immigrants. Prayers during Chhath puja are dedicated to the solar deity, Surya, to show gratitude and thankfulness for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and to request that certain wishes be granted. Chhath puja is dedicated to the sun god Surya. The sun is visible to every being and is the basis of life of all creatures on earth. Along with the Sun God, Chhathi Maiya is also worshipped on this day. According to Vedic astrology, Chhathi Maiya (or Chhathi Mata) protects the children from diseases and problems and gives them long lives and good health.

Poila Baisakh:

According to the Bengali calendar, it is the first day of first month (called Baishakh), and people thank the divine forces for the harvest of the previous year and that to follow. People decorate their houses with rangoli in their courtyards made with a paste of rice and water (called alpona). Families get together on this auspicious day, and celebrate the new year with Bengali folk songs and dances in traditional attires. Small gatherings are held where children and adults take part in various activities like drawing/painting, dancing, poetry recitation, singing, etc.

Kali Puja: Kali Puja is another noteworthy festival that takes place in West Bengal in October or November. This is a long festival that goes for about twenty days. It happens after Durga Puja. Besides Durga Puja, it is one of the largest festivals in Kolkata. Kali Puja festival is celebrated in the honor of Goddess Kali. It is recognized by the chanting of mantras in the nighttime that goes till dawn. The Goddess is ornated with beautiful garlands made of hibiscuses. All the sacred chanting of mantras is carried out in the presence of the holy fire. Devotees offer several types of offerings to the Goddess that includes sweets, lentils, and rice.

Dol Purnima: Another Hindu festival that is celebrated with a different name in West Bengal state is “DolPurnima “. This is the Bengali version of the Holi festival. Dol Purnima is celebrated by men and women in a very dignified manner. It is done by placing the statues of Krishna and Radha on an appealingly adorned palanquin that is taken around the major streets of the village or the city. On the early morning of the Dol Purnima day, the students get themselves dressed up in pure white clothes or saffron-colored dress. They also wear fresh garlands of scented flowers. Everyone enjoys this occasion by immersing themselves completely in singing and dancing to the beats of musical instruments. Different types of musical instruments are used such as debris, ektara, veena, etc. The devotees swing the idols and women sing devotional songs and dance around the swing. During these activities, the men spray colored powder, abir, and colored water at them.