For many, Durga Puja is as much about the experience in the pandal as it is about the rituals themselves – stopping for bhog, admiring the artistry, meeting friends and family, and taking in the festive energy that fills neighbourhoods. Across Delhi, pandals offer plenty to explore, from grand architectural facades to detailed murals, striking installations and social messages. Here’s a look at their finished designs and where to find them as you plan your pujo trail.Making pujo accessible for allSeveral Durga pujo pandals across NCR are introducing accessibility measures through an initiative by UNESCO and accessibility organisation Svayam. This year, participating committees have introduced features such as ramps, levelled pathways, Braille signage, calm rooms and quiet hours, along with touchable replicas of the Durga idol for visually impaired visitors. Inclusive cultural programmes and volunteer sensitisation are also part of the effort.A loom installation and colourful jamdani motifs celebrate Bengal’s handloom heritage at Navapalli Puja Samity’s pandal, with geometric patterns inspired by the intricate designs woven into the fabric
Navapalli Puja Samituy, Pocket 40, CR Park
Jute and bamboo shape the pandal at Co-operative Ground Durga Puja Samity, CR Park, from its facade to the space around the deity, with earthy hues, terracotta panels and a large jute chandelier
Co-operative Ground Durga Puja Samity, CR Park
Inspired by Bishnupur’s temple architecture and Bengal’s traditional Rajbari courtyards, Saket’s Select City Mall incorporates terracotta–finish pillars, carved wooden details and alpona patterns to its pandal
Select City Walk, Saket
Mela Ground ‘s theme Maati, Manush, Mohon – The Eternal Bond is reflected in an ornate red, white and green facade, with traditional motifs drawing on Bengal’s cultural heritage and the bond between people and the land
Mela Ground, CR Park
Celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram, the Durgotsab GK2 pandal brings together Spanish artist Javier Artacho’s five monumental paintings, titled Matrika: The Cosmic Warp and Weft, where he interprets Vande Mataram and Navaratri through the sacred feminine, weaving together the Motherland, Durga pujo rituals and the cultural and spiritual dimensions of India
Durgotsab GK2
The Power of Print Never Fades in Aram Bagh Puja Samiti, Paharganj pays tribute to print media through colourful facades and human figures made from newspaper, celebrating the journalists, editors and others who have kept the printed word alive
Aram Bagh Puja Samiti, Paharganj
Sarbojonin Puja Samiti’s Jeevan Chakra – The Circle of Life unfolds through illuminated arches and panels depicting different stages of life, while a long, colourful alpana stretches across the road, extending the theme beyond the pandal
Street Alpona made by Sec 137 community
Sec 137, Noida
A recreation of Jorasanko Thakur Bari, Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home, brings Bengal’s architectural heritage to the pandal through a red exterior, white ornamental detailing and green shutters
B-Block, CR Park
At Bangiya Parishad, the spirit of Gram Bangla comes alive through collective effort, as members paint traditional folk motifs and women come together to prepare offerings, making the celebrations an expression of community and belonging
Bangiya Parishad, Sec 56, Gurgaon
Handcrafted décor at Kali Mandir in CR Park features intricate alpana motifs in white and vibrant colours across the floor and ceiling. The bedi (altar) is draped in pranami saris, bringing traditional textiles into the pandal’s visual design, which was done by architect Nilanjan Bhowal
Kali Bari Mandir, CR Park
Purbapalli Durgabari Samiti’s traditional Bengali alpona motifs in red and white frame the entrance and extend across the walls, taking the familiar floor-art patterns into the larger pandal structure
Sector 15A, Gurgaon
A towering recreation of Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial at Balaka, Sec 61 features domed turrets, arched windows and ornate gold detailing, bringing the monument’s grandeur to the pujo celebrations
Balaka, Sec 61, Noida
Inspired by ISKCON Mayapur, Bengali Cultural Association’s pandal rises in tiers of domes and towers, with cream-and-gold detailing, blue accents and images of deities evoking an ornate temple complex
Sec 62, Noida
Titled Radiant Abode of the Divine Mother, Noida Bangiya Samiti’s pandal features purple bands, illuminated detailing and intricate ornamental work that lend the structure the look of a glowing shrine
Noida Bangiya Samiti, Sec 34, Noida
Tiered golden spires, ornate carvings and Buddhist motifs, Jalvayu Vihar Sanskritik Kalyan Samiti give the Thai temple-inspired pandal its distinctive look. Around 30 artisans from Kolkata worked on the structure, using nearly 1,500 bamboo poles sourced from Bulandshahr
Jalvayu Vihar, Sec 25, Noida
Marking its silver jubilee, Sharodiya Puja Samity has built its celebrations around the lotus, with a giant lotus-shaped structure rising above a green-draped base and a matching alpana adorning the floor
Sec 10 A, Gurgaon
Marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, Sushant Lok Durga Puja Committee’s pandal features panels depicting the song’s historical journey, with imagery of rural Bengal and scenes from the freedom movement
DLF City Durga Puja and Sushant Lok Durga Puja
The decor for DLF City Durga Puja’s 35th year draws on Bengal’s folk-art traditions, with lotuses, kulos and gaachkoutos incorporated into the installations. Thermocol flowers, street alpona and string art add to the handcrafted setting, while the terracotta Durga idol and earthy colour palette tie the elements together. The installations have been created by the society’s own members, making the decor a collective effortThe 42nd edition of Alaknanda Puja Samiti’s Durga Puja brings rural Bengal to life with its Gram Bangla theme. The décor features thatched-roof village homes, terracotta textures, earthen pots and rustic motifs, with traditional kulo adding to the village-inspired setting
Alaknanda
Durgabari’s pandal commemorates 100 years of Bengali cinema’s Mahanayak, Uttam Kumar, bringing nostalgia and the legacy of the legendary actor into this year’s Durga Puja celebrations
Durgabari, GK1
