Mahalaya marks the ‘’formal’’ initiation of the puja festivities. It is considered to be the day when goddess Durga is believed to have descended to the earth. On Mahalaya Bengalies take a holy dip in the river ganges and perform the ‘’tarpan’’ whereby they offer food and water to their ancestors and recite hymns from the scriptures known as "chandipath".
At the down of ‘’Dwitia’’ the day next to Mahalaya, the idol will be brought from the studio of the idol maker, this time Sanatan Rudra Pal, and shall be placed on the platform within the pandal complex. This time College Square Sarbajanin Durgotsab Committee shall be celebrating its 76th year.
Various social welfare programmes are under taken during the pre-puja days such as blood donation camps, distribution of clothes to poor children, donations to the public welfare organisations, grants to the patients fighting for their lives against fatal diseases etc.
On "Chaturthi" the opening ceremony of our Durga puja takes place. Last year we had among us the gracious presence of many renowned personalities among them, the Honorable Chief Minister MAMATA BANERJEE was present on the inanguration of our puja.
At College Square is the “ Kumari Puja”, during which a young unmarried girl, being treated as goddess Durga herself, is worshipped.
"Vijaya Dashami" is the penultimate day of the pujas. On this day the Devi Durga returns to her orgininal abode to kailash with her sons and daughters. This day marks the end of her stay at her father’s place. On this day touching the feet of elders and exchange of sweets is customary. Al though this day is meant for the immersion of the idol in the holy water of the Ganges signifying the return of the goddess to her abode. But, in order to offer the devotees an extra day of worship i.e. on "Ekadashi" and also to utilize this time to prepare for the grand emersion we delay the process by a day and schedule it on the day of "Dwitiya".
Illuminated models and gates, automatic lights with a record of the chanting of mantras playing in the back ground and groups of band parties and "Dhakis" with people dancing around them to the rhythmic beating of drums. The procession is led by the name of "College Square" being flashed by the briight neon lights. Thousands of people throng the road side to have a clear view of the deity from close at hand and entertain themselves by the innovative animated illuminations and other such attractions.
On Dwitiya, before loading the idols onto trailors for emersion, ‘’sindur khela’’ takes place where the married women offer vermilion to goddess and smear vermilion on each other’s faces. The evening that follows is one of grandure. As the idols make their way towards the ganges’ it is trailed by a huge procession of devotees and members of college square Durgatsab puja committee taking the number to some hundreds.