Kali Puja is an important celebration in West Bengal and parts of the Northeast during Diwali. Falling on October 20, 2025, the festival will be celebrated across many Kali Puja pandals in Kolkata. Among them, the Fatakesto Kali Puja is particularly popular, attracting crowds from within the city as well as from nearby cities and towns. And to much surprise, this Kali Puja pandal has an interesting connection to dacoits! What is that connection and how iconic is this Kali Puja? Here’s everything you need to know about the Fatakesto Kali Puja in Kolkata!
Fatakesto Kali Puja: Origins, Celebration, Street Art, And How To Reach
Fatakesto Kali Puja: Origin And Association With Dacoits
While dacoity and Kali Puja might not seem like the ideal pair of words to use in a sentence, it would make complete sense in the context of this Kali Puja celebration. Dacoits were armed bandits that were prominently active in the 19th and 20th century in British-ruled India.
Declared ‘outlaws’ by the British government, these dacoits were social deviants who would engage in loot, plundering, and other similar ‘criminal activities’ against the British rule, in turn using the looted wealth for the betterment of local, underprivileged communities. While the reality wasn’t really as straightforward, most dacoits were literally considered ‘saviors’ among rural communities as they sought to overturn the exploitative British rule and stand up for the weak and the marginalized.
Fatakesto Kali Puja History: Rise To Fame
Bengal’s dacoits were particularly known for their strong devotion towards Ma Kali, the fierce form of Goddess Durga. Seemingly taking inspiration from the good deeds of the dacoits, 1950s North Kolkata saw the rise of Fatakesto. Born Krishnachandra Dutta and fondly called ‘Kesto’ or ‘Fatakesto’, he rose to great prominence in the 1950s and formed the Naba Jubak Sangha. This sangha was responsible for uniting the youth at that time and coming together to celebrate Kali Puja.
1950s Kolkata was fueled with political agitation and social unrest and Fatakesto’s efforts to bring people together and foster social harmony was seen as a statement of great resilience and power at that time. In many ways, people regarded him as a ‘messiah’ – a strong, fearless, and undiminished leader who made festivities like Kali Puja, which were previously gatekept and reserved for the upper classes, more accessible to the masses.
Also Read: Diwali Lakshmi Puja 2025: Know The Auspicious Time, Amavasya Tithi And Puja Rituals For Diwali
Fatakesto Kali Puja 2025 Celebrations
Like each year, the idol of Ma Kali will be made and transported from Kumartuli, a historic quarter in North Kolkata known for manufacturing clay idols of Goddess Durga and Goddess Kali during the festive season.
The Fatakesto Kali Maa idol is enormous, standing tall at staggering heights, and is brought to the Fatakesto Kali Puja pandal on the day of Kali Puja 2025. The road leading to the pandal is decorated with lightworks, flowers, and traditional alpona designs made on the road. Traditional ‘bhog’ is offered to the deity and then the attendees, preceded by the aarti and other spiritual rituals to please Ma Kali.
While initial celebrations only saw modest decorations of garlands and lights, recent years have witnessed massive pandal sets being erected in honor of the goddess. In fact, there is widespread anticipation about the Fatakesto Kali Puja pandal design each year among the locals and tourists alike!
The Vibrant Fatakesto Kali Puja Street Art
One thing that you cannot miss during this festival is the spectacular street art on Fatakesto Street. Each year, the Chitralekha Art School deploys students to make vibrant, thought-provoking floor murals, bringing a sense of creativity and social messaging to the streets.
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The 2024 theme was dedicated to ‘music’ and in 2025, the theme for Fatakesto street art supposedly revolves around ‘water’ and ‘aquatic creatures’. The street art showcases elaborate floor murals depicting aquatic creatures like mermaids and fish as well as aquatic beings like frogs, lotus, seaweeds, and starfish.
Also Read: Top 10 Best Places To Eat in Kolkata During Durga Puja 2025
How To Reach Fatakesto Kali Puja Pandal?
Address: 121, Sitaram Ghosh St, College Street Bata, College Row, College Street, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Sarani, Kolkata – 700009
Nearest Railway Station: Sealdah Junction (2.4 km). From here, cabs and autorickshaws are easily available to reach College Street.
Nearest Metro Station: Mahatma Gandhi Road Metro Station (about 10 to 12 minute-walk away). It is located on the North-South corridor of the Blue Line of Kolkata metro and is located close to Burrabazar.
Nearest Airport: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (12.2 km away). You can easily get cabs from the airport to reach Kolkata city center and College Street, where Fatakesto Kali Puja pandal is located.
Summing Up
College Street is a cultural landmark in the City of Joy, home to vibrant Kali Puja pandals as well as leading educational institutions in the city. Among the former, the Fatakesto Kali Puja remains one of Kolkata’s most iconic pandals of its kind, particularly known for its interesting history and the legacy it carries. If you’re in Kolkata during Kali Puja, make sure you visit this pandal at least once!
