New York City’s Times Square became a symbolic cultural hub with hundreds of New Yorkers walking in to either get a glance or stay to experience the two-day Durga Puja organized October 1 and 2, 2025 by the Times Square Durga Utsav Association (TSDUA).
The Hindu festival of Durga Puja was celebrated at New York’s Times Square this year for the first time, with a fair of themed pandals designed by famous puja artists, especially brought in from Kolkata. The two days were full of special aratis, pujas and live performances.
The Utsav also drew a lot of support from other organizations in the tristate area. TSDUA secretary Nirupoma Saha told Desi Talk, “The association has received letters of praise and commendation from 263 organizations from all over the East Coast, expressing hopes of bringing their programs and festivals to Times Square”.
The event was attended by many dignitaries and office bearers of TSDUA, including President Shashdhar Hawaldar, vice president Dr. Kallol Basu, Secretary Nirupoma Saha, Chief Advisor Mridul Pathak from Kolkata, Advisor Biswajit Saha, Treasurer Soumyaprata Dasgupta and more.
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Biswajit Saha told Desi Talk they had received great support from LaGuardia Community College, Rutgers University and Columbia University student associations who sent more than thirty volunteers to manage the celebrations round the clock. “It was the first time that we saw so many people come to visit during office hours, and also during the night,” Saha said. He said five security persons were present through the night and spoke about having late night visitors from New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Washington, DC. “They would come, do a Pranam, and leave, ” he said.
Apart from the regular aratis and havans on October 1, cultural program included dance performances by Nrityanjali and Garba by Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan. There were musical recitals in the Kolkata Pujo spirit by Lopamudra Mitra and Joy Sarkar.
Similar cultural programs were also part of the second day. A special attraction was a ballet by artist Rimli Roy which was an English adaptation of the Ramayan. Audiences were thrilled by the following dance drama Mahishasur Mardini by the Nrityanjali troupe. Singer Deyashini Roy brought the real puja singing.
The highlight of the two day festival was the traditional ritual of Sindoor Khela which is traditionally performed on the last day of Vijaya Dashami when married women apply sindoor or vermillion to each other’s faces and share sweets.
New Yorkers also witnessed the Dhunuchi Nach performed during the evening arati. Dhunuchi or a clay pot holds burning coal and incense and devotees move their bodies balancing the pots in their hands, on their heads, chins or held in their mouths.
Durga Puja has been recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. And with the festival held at Times Square, the center of New York City where people of the whole world converge, “people are learning about it and appreciating it,” said Nirupoma Saha.