What Are the CR Park Puja Walks?
Delhi Tourism has launched a series of seven guided spiritual and heritage walks in Chittaranjan Park (CR Park), timed to coincide with the Durga Puja festivities from October 11 to 19, 2026. Often called 'mini Bengal', CR Park transforms into a hub of devotion
and celebration during this period. The initiative aims to provide an immersive cultural experience, guiding visitors beyond the usual pandal-hopping to understand the rich Bengali traditions behind one of Delhi's most vibrant festivals. For a fee of ₹500 plus GST, participants can book a spot through the Delhi Tourism website for curated explorations of the neighbourhood's spiritual, cultural, and culinary highlights.
A Journey Through 'Mini Bengal'
CR Park was originally established for Bengali families who migrated to Delhi, and it remains the city's foremost Bengali enclave. This makes it the perfect setting for these walks. The tours are designed to cover the history and evolution of the neighbourhood, including the role of the iconic Kali Mandir Society. Guides will offer insights into the intricate process of idol-making, the significance of rituals like pushpanjali and sandhya aarti, the rhythms of the dhak (traditional drum), and even the eco-friendly practices used for idol immersion. The experience is enriched with curated storytelling and interactions with local community members, offering a deeper connection to the festival's soul.
The Itinerary: From Pandals to Cuisine
The walks are scheduled to capture different phases of the festival. Pre-puja walks focus on preparations and history, while evening walks during the main festival days dive into the lively atmosphere of the pandals, markets, and cultural performances. A Shashthi evening walk on October 16 is dedicated to key rituals, and an Ashtami morning walk on October 18 offers a front-row seat to the traditional aarti. No Durga Puja experience is complete without food, and the tours embrace this. Participants will explore Bengali markets and get a taste of authentic cuisine, from street-side puchkas and kathi rolls to the sacred community feast known as 'bhog', which typically includes khichuri and labra.
A Broader Vision for Festival Tourism
These Puja walks are part of a larger strategy by the Delhi government to reposition the capital as a major destination for cultural tourism and large-scale events. The initiative, under the 'Dilli Sabki Hai' vision of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, aims to showcase the city's diverse community fabric. The success of recent events like the Dandiya Utsav has reinforced the government's commitment to creating more opportunities for residents and tourists to engage with cultural traditions. Officials have expressed a clear goal to move beyond standard sightseeing and develop curated heritage experiences and festival programming that highlight Delhi as an experience-led tourism hub. The CR Park walks serve as a pilot model for future festival-focused neighbourhood tours, potentially paving the way for similar explorations of Old Delhi during Eid or other cultural hotspots during their signature festivals.
