Shibmandir Durga Puja 2026 Khuti Puja Update — 90th Year Celebrations Officially Begin
শিউলি এখনও ফোটেনি, তবু খুঁটি পুজো হয়ে গেল — মা আসছেন, সত্যিই আসছেন।
A few weeks ago, we told you about a banner that stopped Kolkata's Bengali internet in its tracks — the quiet, poetic reveal that announced Shibmandir Durga Puja's landmark 90th year. If you haven't read that story yet, catch up here: Shibmandir Durga Puja 2026 — 90 Years of Divine Blessings, and the Banner That Just Gave Us Goosebumps
Well, the wait just got a little shorter — because on 26th July 2026, Shibmandir Durga Puja held its Khuti Puja, officially setting the wheels in motion for their 90th year of celebrations. The banner told us Ma was coming. The Khuti Puja is proof that the preparations have truly begun.
What Happened at Shibmandir's Khuti Puja 2026
The Khuti Puja — the ceremonial ritual that marks the beginning of pandal construction for the year — was conducted with full traditional rites at the Shibmandir premises. This modest but deeply symbolic ceremony is where a community's Durga Puja formally starts each year, long before the bamboo scaffolding rises or the idol takes shape.
Present at this special 90th-year Khuti Puja were noted artist Prashanta Pal, Premendu Bikash Chaki, club member Partha Ghosh, and several other committee members, artists, and well-wishers who gathered to bless the beginning of this milestone year.
Having artists of this stature attend the Khuti Puja is itself a sign of how much weight this 90th anniversary edition carries. When craftsmen and creative minds show up at the very first ritual of the season, you know the year ahead has something special in store.
The Ceremony Itself
Devotees and committee members offered puja with fruits, sindoor, incense, and the traditional items placed on the thala — a moment captured beautifully as hands reached up together to complete the ritual offering.
The bells around the mandir rang out, the sky was clear and blue, and for everyone present, this was the moment the 90th year truly began.
🔗 Curious what a Khuti Puja actually signifies and why it matters so much in Kolkata's Durga Puja calendar? You may also want to read how other clubs marked theirs this season: Malikpara Sarbojanin Durgotsav Committee Begins Its 28th Year: Khuti Puja Full Update
Why the Khuti Puja Matters So Much
For those new to Durga Puja traditions, the Khuti Puja might look like a small, quiet ceremony compared to the grandeur of the actual pujo days in October. But for every Bengali who has grown up around a community puja, this ritual carries enormous emotional weight.
It is the first official "yes, it's happening" of the season. Before the theme is revealed, before the artisans of Kumartuli begin shaping the idol, before a single bamboo pole is raised for the pandal — there is the Khuti Puja. It is the seed from which the entire festival grows.
For a puja stepping into its 90th year, this ceremony carries even more significance. It is a reminder that this is not a new committee finding its footing — this is nine decades of unbroken devotion, continuing exactly as it always has, with the same reverence and the same quiet faith.
90 Years and Still Going Strong
As we mentioned in our earlier feature, Shibmandir Durga Puja has weathered nearly a century of history — from pre-independence India to the present day — without ever missing a year. The Khuti Puja on 26th July 2026 is living proof that this legacy is being carried forward with the same care and devotion it has always received.
Every ritual completed, every artist who shows up, every volunteer who folds their hands in prayer at this stage — they are all adding one more layer to a story that has been building for 90 years.
🔗 Want to see how other legendary pujas are approaching their milestone years? Don't miss: Nimtala Matri Mandir's Khuti Puja for Their 75th Year
What's Next for Shibmandir Durga Puja 2026
With the Khuti Puja now complete, the real work begins. Expect the coming weeks and months to bring:
- Theme reveals for the 90th year pandal
- Pandal construction updates as bamboo scaffolding starts going up
- Idol-making progress from the artisans shaping this year's Durga
- More milestone celebrations befitting a 90-year legacy
We will continue to bring you every update from Shibmandir as they move closer to Durga Puja 2026 — so keep this page bookmarked and stay tuned to our Khuti Puja and Durga Puja 2026 sections for the latest.
Follow their official Facebook page for real-time updates: Shibmandir Durga Puja on Facebook
Our Message to Shibmandir, Once Again
To the committee, the artists, the volunteers, and everyone who stood together for this Khuti Puja — congratulations on taking the first official step into your 90th year.
আরও একবার, শুভ খুঁটিপুজো। মায়ের আশীর্বাদে নব্বই বছরের এই যাত্রা হয়ে উঠুক আরও গৌরবময়।
Keep Following the 2026 Khuti Puja Season
Durga Puja 2026 is unfolding one Khuti Puja at a time across Kolkata. Here are a few more stories worth your time:
- Shibmandir Durga Puja 2026 — The Banner Reveal Story (Part 1)
- Khuti Puja 2026 Date – Kalyani ITI More Luminous Club | Everything You Need to Know
- It Has Officially Begun: Khuti Puja 2026, FD Block Durga Puja Committee of Saltlake
- The Engineering of Kolkata's Pandals — Built Without a Single Nail
Because every Khuti Puja is more than a ritual — it is the first heartbeat of a festival that will, once again, bring an entire city together.
