Prayas is on a mission to preserve and celebrate Bengali heritage, not only among the South Asian community but all around the greater Columbus area.
The local nonprofit group was founded in 2012 with a vision of infusing Bengali traditions into Western culture to form a stronger community.
Experience these traditions and culture during Prayas’ 15th anniversary Durga Puja festival, which will take place Oct. 23-25 at Mifflin High School, 3245 Oak Spring St.
Durga Puja is a major annual Hindu festival that honors the goddess Durga and her victory over the demon Mahishasura, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.
Temporary, ornately decorated structures called pandals are built to house clay idols (murtis) of the goddess, who is usually depicted
with eight or 10 arms.
Beyond its religious roots, the festival functions as a community and social celebration featuring music, art, dance, food and family activities.
Durga Puja was inscribed by UNESCO in 2021 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing its importance as a living tradition.
The celebration will kick off with a concert by Somlata and The Aces at 7 p.m. Oct. 23. Festivities will continue from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 24 and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 25.
Children under 12 will not be allowed in the auditorium during the concert. Free certified babysitting services will be available.
Registration for Oct. 23 costs $55 for the concert only, and $70 for the concert and dinner. A wide variety of registration options are available for Oct. 24-25.
Visit prayascolumbus.org/durgapuja_2026_reg to register.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Prayas Columbus to share Bengali culture at Durga Puja festival
