Aiming to draw more domestic and international tourists, the West Bengal government has planned to take fresh initiatives to promote Durga Puja on the global stage, state tourism minister Shankar Ghosh said on Wednesday.
Ghosh however, reserved his views on holding the Durga Puja Carnival introduced by the Mamata Banerjee government in 2016 as a grand finale to the festivities.
Ghosh said a final decision on organising the Durga Puja Carnival in 2026 would be taken after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
“The matter will be discussed at the Cabinet level and an appropriate decision will be taken thereafter,” the minister said.
Held on the arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (erstwhile Red Road), the event brings together award-winning puja committees which showcase their tableaux, themes and cultural performances before thousands of spectators onway to immersing the idols in the Hooghly river.
Over the years, the carnival has evolved into a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from across India and abroad, particularly after the Durga Puja in Kolkata was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021.
Ghosh also recalled an incident in 2025 when he and BJP MP Khagen Murmu were allegedly assaulted by a mob in Jalpaiguri district while travelling to distribute flood relief materials.
Ghosh claimed the attack took place in Jalpaiguri district’s Nagrakata after he criticised the then state administration’s priorities during the floods that rocked North Bengal and the hills last year.
“The only reason we were attacked was because I had said that people in North Bengal were suffering and dying in the floods while the entire state administration, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was on Red Road watching the song and dance routines associated with the carnival,” Ghosh alleged.
According to the minister, he and Murmu were on their way to distribute relief materials to flood-affected residents when they were attacked.
Ghosh was speaking at a meeting in Kolkata where all stakeholders of tourism were present to chalk-out a 90-day and one year “tourism action plan.”
According to Ghosh, a special cell is being set up at the tourism department.
“Durga Puja is not merely a religious festival; it is a celebration of art, culture, heritage and community participation. We want to promote it globally and increase tourist footfall in West Bengal. We will undertake several new initiatives to ensure the festival reaches a much larger international audience,” he said.
Ghosh said the state government is also working towards integrating Durga Puja with broader tourism circuits to encourage visitors to explore other destinations across Bengal.
“Durga Puja happens everywhere in the state. We are planning to showcase Bengal’s tourist destinations by clubbing it with the essence of Durga Puja. We will organise roadshows and have destinations connected with the puja that in turn can be connected with the tourists,” Ghosh added.