Want To Go Pandal Hopping During Durga Puja in Chennai? Here Are The Five Pujas That Should Be On Your List

Want to go Pandal hopping during Durga Puja in Chennai? Here are the five Pujas that should be on your list:

SMCA Durga Puja, Besant Nagar

Located near the Besant Nagar bus terminus at TNHB community hall, South Madras Cultural Association organizes the most popular Durga Puja in Chennai. This year they will be hosting the 39th Puja in the city fromSeptember 25 to 30. Starting from Anand Mela on Monday (Sept 25), where home-cooked food is available on sale for patrons to daily pushpanjoli, bhog and Sandhya arati; you can see it all. The cultural programmes start from 7 pm daily. There will be a gamut of theatre, music and dance to enjoy the evening. There are a range of food stalls in the premise serving everything from kebabs, rolls, momos to Kolkata biryani, Mughlai porotta and kosha mangsho and mishti.

The Bengal Association Puja, T Nagar

This is the oldest Durga Puja in Chennai, held at the premises of the association on Giri Road in T Nagar and this year it will celebrate the 84th Sharadotsav. They will also be hosting the Ananda Mela on September 25. The Association is known for hosting amazing plays and music performances in the evening. The festivity will start right from Bodhon, when the idols are brought in and unveiled. Bengalis from across the city will walk into the premises for pushpanjali in the morning and savour bhog in the afternoon. In the evening, gorge on Bengali delicacies ranging from rolls, luchi aloo dom, cutlets and mishti.

 Dakshini Society, Anna Nagar

Dakshini Society was set up in 1995 and they have been a fairly popular Durga Puja in that part of Chennai. They are well-known for their Dhamakedaar DJ night on Nabami evenings. This year they will be celebrating the Puja from September 26 to 30. Most of their cooks and dhakis are brought down from Kolkata and the place also has a range of food stalls serving authentic Bengali snacks and sweets.

 Ramakrishna Mission Puja, Mylapore

If you hate going into crowded places and just want some tranquil and peace as you pray quietly to Maa Durga, then just head to RK Mutt Road in Mylapore that has the beautiful Ramakrishna Mission. It is a spacious and green complex and as you step into the premise, you might not see the crowd, euphoria and noise associated with Durga Puja elsewhere but once you enter the main sanctum, the experience is ethereal. Just sit quietly in front of the Durga idol and you can quietly chant her name or meditate. After hopping from one crowded pandal to another, this one is a welcome change.

DCPCA – Dakshin Chennai Prabasi Cultural Association,Kelambakkam, OMR

We know this one is slightly off the radar but it is one the youngest Durga Puja in the city. Till last year, it was held at Gems Inn Resort in Navalur but this year they have moved beyond towards Kelambakkam and will be held at Imperial Garden Kalyan Mandapam. With IT professionals and techies from OMR at the forefront, this Puja has a very contemporary feel. Many cultural programmes are put up by association members and are immensely entertaining and culturally rich. They also offer a great range of food choices.

Check out this link for exact locations of the Puja Pandals: Map of Durga Puja Pandals in Chennai

For those who are new to Durga Puja Pandals : What to expect when you go to Puja Pandal in Chennai