Exploring Durga Puja with Meghdutam Travels

Meghdutam Travels and the India Tourism Board welcomed the Canadian travel industry last night to explore travel opportunities tied to Durga Puja, one of the largest cultural festivals in the country.

The Calcutta-based company, which has a Canadian office in Montreal, provided a look at the annual autumn festival, which commemorates the triumph of the Hindu goddess Durga over evil.

Although originally a religious ceremony, the event has transformed into an anticipated civic holiday, which closes businesses and schools for a week in parts of eastern India (where Durga Puja is mostly celebrated) as thousands of revellers take to the streets for the celebrations. Highlighted by large art displays of sculpture and lights known as pandals, preparations for each festival begin up to one year prior.

“The entire city is transformed into an open-air art gallery,” said Jaydeep Mukherjee, director/president of Meghdutam Travels.

According to Raj Banerjee, Meghdutam’s manager of operations, the company is incorporating the festival into their various travel packages, including a week-long program that takes place during Durga Puja, complete with “five-star treatment” and including meals, tours, and sightseeing. He added that interest in the festival is rising amongst Canadian travellers to India, and while Meghdutam is starting out with packages tied to Durga Puja, the company is considering incorporating some of India’s many other festivals into its travel programs in the future.

Photo: Sidharth Bodwal, information officer, India Tourism Office; Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, deputy consul general, Consulate General of India – New York; Anil Oraw, director, India Tourism Toronto; Jaydeep Mukherjee, director/president, Meghdutam Travels; Rajesh Kumar Raina, consul & head of chancery, Consulate General of India – Toronto.