Kali Puja 2026: Date and Flights to Kolkata

Updated October 2026 · HappyFares

In Bengal, Kali Puja is the night when the city stays awake. Here is the date, what the festival means at the big Kolkata temples and how to plan a flight in a busy festival week.

When is Kali Puja in 2026?

Kali Puja 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November. Two panchang sources we checked, Ved Panchang and the Haindavam festival calendar, both list the date as 8 November 2026, and a weekday check confirms that 8 November 2026 is a Sunday.

Diwali also falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. This is not a coincidence. Kali Puja is observed on the Amavasya night of the Kartik month, the same new moon night that most of India marks as Diwali, while in Bengal the evening is given to the goddess Kali rather than to Lakshmi.

On timing, the Haindavam calendar shows the Amavasya tithi running until about 12:32 pm on 9 November. Its listing is calculated for one reference city, so clock times shift by a few minutes in different places. The worship itself is a night ritual, usually timed around midnight, so the main puja in Kolkata is generally held late on 8 November and runs into the early hours of 9 November. Your local priest, pandal committee or temple will announce the exact muhurat, and that is the time to follow.

The days around it also matter for your travel plan. Dhanteras is Friday, 6 November, and Diwali is Sunday, 8 November. Chhath follows from Friday, 13 November to Monday, 16 November, which keeps travel demand busy across eastern India for more than a week.

Why do Dakshineswar, Kalighat and Belur matter?

Kolkata has many Kali temples, but three names come up most often for visitors.

• Dakshineswar Kali Temple. It was founded by the philanthropist Rani Rashmoni and is closely tied to Sri Ramakrishna, who served as a priest there. On Kali Puja night the temple complex is known for drawing very large numbers of devotees.
• Kalighat Kali Temple. One of the best known religious places in Kolkata. According to tradition, it stands where a part of the body of the goddess Sati fell, which is why it is regarded as a Shakti Peeth.
• Belur Math. The headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, located across the river from Dakshineswar. It is a calm, architecturally striking place that many visitors pair with a Dakshineswar trip.

Beyond the temples, neighbourhood pandals set up Kali idols in lanes across the city. Many people spend the night walking from one to the next. Local committees and temple trusts announce their own programmes, so look at their notices closer to the date rather than relying on a general guide.

Which airport do you fly into for Kolkata?

Kolkata is served by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, airport code CCU, in Dum Dum on the northern side of the city. The Airports Authority of India operates it. The code CCU is a leftover from the city’s old name, Calcutta, which makes it a handy bit of aviation trivia: the three letters on your boarding pass come from a name the city stopped using in 2001.

When you search for flights, enter Kolkata or CCU. If you are staying near Dakshineswar or in north Kolkata, the airport is on that side of town, though travel time on a festival night depends heavily on road conditions and pandal diversions. For central and south Kolkata, including the Kalighat area, allow extra time on festival evenings.

How should you plan flights around Kali Puja and Diwali?

We are not quoting fares or crowd numbers, because we do not have verified figures for them. What we can say from general experience is that festival weeks tend to push up demand, and fares for popular dates usually rise as the date gets closer. A few practical steps help:

• Decide your key date first. Do you want to be in Kolkata on the night of 8 November, or just around it? Flights landing on Saturday, 7 November, usually leave more room for delays than a same-day arrival on Sunday.
• Book early, and stay flexible on days. Compare nearby days, as Friday to Monday can look very different from midweek.
• Set a price alert. If you are not ready to book, an alert lets you watch a fare without checking by hand.
• Plan the return. The days after Diwali, and the Chhath period from 13 to 16 November, can keep return flights busy, so book both directions together if your dates are fixed.
• Allow time on the ground. Road diversions around pandals and temples on the night itself can slow cabs and buses, so do not schedule a late flight on the same evening unless you have buffer.

What should visitors keep in mind at the temples?

Dress modestly, keep footwear arrangements simple, and expect queues. Temple authorities set their own rules about phones, bags and photography, so check at the gate. Keep valuables to a minimum, since crowds on festival nights are heavy. If you are travelling with older family members or young children, plan the visit for the daytime instead of the midnight rush.

Common Questions

Is Kali Puja on the same day as Diwali in 2026?

Yes. Both fall on Sunday, 8 November 2026, because both are observed on the Kartik Amavasya night.

What time is the Kali Puja worship?

The main worship is a night ritual, usually timed around midnight, running from the night of 8 November into the early hours of 9 November. Exact times differ by city and committee, so follow your local panchang or pandal announcement.

Which airport serves Kolkata?

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, code CCU, operated by the Airports Authority of India.

Should I book flights early for Kali Puja?

Generally, yes. Festival weeks tend to be busy, and fares on popular days usually rise closer to travel. Booking earlier gives you more choice of timings.

Can I visit Dakshineswar and Kalighat on the same trip?

Many visitors do, but on Kali Puja night, crowds and road diversions can make this slow. Doing one by day and the other on another day is easier.

Does HappyFares arrange temple visits or hotels?

No. HappyFares sells flights only. For temple timings, check the temple or the local organisers.

Festival timings, rules and fees change. Verify current specifics with your airline, the temple or local organisers, and a local panchang before you travel.