The historic Guwahati Barowari Durga Puja at Paltan Bazar has officially started its 84th year of celebrations at the Youth Hostel grounds. Established in 1942, the festivities for 2026 began with Maha Shashthi on October 16 and will conclude on October 21 with Vijaya Dashami. This year features an environmental consciousness theme with green and purple aesthetic designs, eco-friendly decorations, and cultural performances.
The event is managed by the Guwahati Barowari Puja Committee, led by President Debashish Sengupta.
The leadership includes Chief Patron and former East Guwahati MLA Siddhartha Bhattacharya, along with GMC Mayor Mrigen Sarania, Ashok Jalan, Yubraj Sharma, and GMC councillor Ratna Singh as advisors. Additional key members include patrons Diljit Baruah and Rajib Deka, working presidents Prantosh Roy and Dr. JP Mour, general secretaries Rudra Sharma, Rahul Singh, and Manav Yadav, and treasurer Subhankar Das.
To ensure safety, the Guwahati administration and police implemented strict guidelines starting October 16, 2026.
All pandals must maintain CCTV surveillance, secure police and fire department permissions, and follow mandatory No Tobacco and No Alcohol policies. Noise control regulations limit sound to 55 decibels between 6 AM and 10 PM. Furthermore, the Guwahati Traffic Police imposed special restrictions from October 16 to October 20, active daily between 8 AM and 2 AM, including parking bans within 100 meters of pandals and limits on goods vehicles near Paltan Bazar
Official Source.
