Durga Puja is one of those festivals that feels closely tied to home. There are family visits, new clothes, food, pandal hopping, puja rituals, and usually a lot of people coming and going throughout the day.
In Kolkata, the main Durga Puja 2026 celebrations run from October 17 to 21, from Maha Shashthi to Vijaya Dashami. Local schedules may differ. Work or study can keep you from travelling home, but calls, photos and voice messages let you follow the celebrations with your family.
Join the Celebration Through Group Video Calls
A group video call is one of the easiest ways to catch what is happening at home during Durga Puja. Your family can call while everyone is getting ready, during a meal, or before heading out for pandal hopping.
If your family already has an imo group, everyone can join the same call from there. imo supports video calls with up to 20 people, leaving room for parents, siblings, cousins, and other relatives to join together.
Someone can show you the decorations at home, turn the camera toward the puja, or take you along for a quick look at a nearby pandal. Those unplanned moments are often the closest thing to actually being in the room.
Have a Durga Puja Meal of Your Own
Every family has foods that seem to show up every Durga Puja. Your family may have khichuri after puja, bring home sweets, or go out for a big meal after an evening of pandal hopping.
Pick something you already associate with Puja and have it that day. It could be a family recipe, food from a Bengali restaurant, or simply a box of your favorite sweets. Send a photo to the family group and see what everyone else has on the table.
If your family has one dish that turns up every year, this is also a good time to finally ask how they make it.
Share Photos and Videos With Family
A video call only catches part of the day. The rest often ends up in the family group.
Photos from pandal visits, new outfits, family meals, neighborhood decorations, and evening celebrations can keep everyone up to date. Short videos are especially good for things a photo cannot really capture—the sound around a puja, a busy street at night, or everyone talking around the dinner table.
You can add your own photos and clips as well, whether you went to a local puja, had dinner with friends, or spent the evening in your own way.
Send Voice Messages When You Can’t Call
A live call is not always possible. Your family may be at a pandal or visiting relatives just when you are free. A voice message lets your family hear from you even when your schedules don’t line up. You can ask your parents how the puja went, send a message to grandparents, or tell your siblings what you are doing that day.
With voice, you hear more than the words—the laughter, the background noise, and the little side comments. On imo, you can leave voice messages in a private chat or family group, so people can reply whenever they are free.
Share Your Durga Puja Moments on Story
Durga Puja also comes with plenty of moments people naturally want to share: a new outfit before going out, a favorite pandal, street lights at night, food with friends, or a short clip from the celebration.
You can post these moments to your imo Story instead of sending every photo separately. Story is useful for catching everyone else’s day too. Your relatives can post photos from Kolkata, Dhaka or your hometown, while you show them how you’re spending Puja where you live.
Conclusion
Durga Puja is difficult to recreate through a screen, but communication can still keep you involved in the parts that matter. A group video call lets you join family moments as they happen, chats keep photos and updates in one place, and voice messages or Stories give you other ways to take part throughout the day.
With imo, those small exchanges make it easier to remain part of the celebration, even when you cannot make the trip home.