Art & soul of Hyderabad's Durga puja pandals

The arrival of Durga puja brings its own familiar festive excitement — the anticipation of visiting pandals, offering prayers to Goddess Durga, sharing bhog and immersing oneself in the sights and sounds of the celebrations. In Hyderabad, the festival has grown into a vibrant expression of Bengal’s cultural heritage, bringing together people from different communities to celebrate its traditions and artistry. As the city celebrates another year of festivities, its pandals are finding different ways to honour the goddess, preserve cultural roots and create memorable experiences for visitors.

Imagine walking into a temple that appears to have been chiselled out of rock, making you enter a cave-like chamber leading straight towards the deity. At Bani Sangha Alwal, this vision comes alive through its pandal, inspired by Maharashtra’s iconic Kailasa Temple. The pandal beautifully brings together rock-cut architecture, natural elements and spiritual symbolism.