12 Cultural Tours in India That Showcase Local Traditions

8. Kolkata: Durga Puja Immersion and Kumartuli Artisan Walk

Kolkata’s Durga Puja is a deeply community-driven festival where neighborhoods build temporary pandals, each with a distinct artistic take. A Puja-centered tour covers pandal visits, neighborhood processions and the early-morning artist quarters in Kumartuli where clay sculptors shape and paint idols. These workshops are both creative studios and family-run businesses that pass techniques through generations. Tours timed for Durga Puja let you see how decoration, music, food stalls, and devotional practices come together. If visiting outside the festival, plan a Kumartuli workshop visit to learn about clay preparation, armature building, and painting. For travelers, Durga Puja offers a chance to participate in communal meals and local traditions—book local guides who can arrange respectful access and introductions to artists.