IIT Madras hosts maiden Durga Puja, draws 2,500 visitors in 4 days
Synopsis
IIT Madras made history with its first-ever on-campus Durga Puja — a five-day celebration that drew over 2,500 people and turned the institute's community hall into a cultural melting point. With Director V. Kamakoti chanting from the Durga Saptashati and first-timers learning rituals side by side with Bengali families, the event was as much about cultural integration as it was about devotion.
Key Takeaways
IIT Madras hosted its first-ever Durga Puja on campus, spanning five days from Sasthi to Vijaya Dashami .
More than 2,500 people attended over four days , including students, faculty, staff, and visitors from across Chennai .
The puja was organised by the IIT Madras Bengali community in association with Diganto , a club under the Sangam cultural umbrella.
IIT Madras Director V.
Kamakoti participated in the rituals and chanted from the Durga Saptashati .
The event featured traditional elements including Vedic chanting , Homam , Arati , Bhog , and Sandhi Puja , with all rituals explained to first-time attendees.
The success of the maiden edition is expected to establish the campus puja as an annual tradition at IIT Madras.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras witnessed its first-ever Durga Puja celebration on campus, drawing more than 2,500 attendees over four days and marking a landmark moment in the institution's cultural calendar. The festivities, spanning from Sasthi evening to Vijaya Dashami, were organised by the IIT Madras Bengali community in association with Diganto — an independent student body and cultural club operating under Sangam, the institute's overarching cultural umbrella.
How the Celebrations Unfolded
The five-day festivities were held at the institute's community hall, open to students, faculty, staff, campus families, and visitors from across Chennai. Rituals included Vedic chanting, Homam, and Arati, with IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti personally joining the proceedings and chanting chapters from the Durga Saptashati. A professor closely involved in the organisation noted that meticulous attention was paid to every detail, ensuring that first-time participants understood each ritual as it was performed.
'It turned out to be a cultural melting point. Locals, as well as people from other regions in the country participated wholeheartedly. That is what made the effort a great success,' the professor said.
A Cultural Bridge, Not Just a Religious Event
Organisers and participants alike emphasised that the celebration went beyond religious observance. Attendees were introduced to traditional offerings such as Bhog, the significance of Sandhi Puja, and the deeply personal tradition of treating the Goddess Durga as a daughter during the festival. The professor described the occasion as 'an exchange of culture,' noting that for many attending their first-ever Durga Puja, these explanations transformed spectators into participants.
The institute's statement described the event as reflecting 'the inclusive spirit of IIT Madras,' bringing together diverse communities under one roof during one of India's most celebrated festivals.
Context: Durga Puja Beyond Bengal
Durga Puja is celebrated on a grand scale primarily in West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, and Tripura, with subtle regional variations in ritual and custom. Chennai already hosts between 8 and 10 prominent Durga Pujas organised by its resident Bengali community, drawing participants from across Tamil Nadu. The IIT Madras celebration adds a new and distinctly campus-centred chapter to that tradition.
What This Means for the Campus Community
For Bengali students and families residing on campus, the puja offered a slice of home during a festival that carries deep emotional and cultural resonance. According to the professor, the initiative has 'paved the way for an integration of culture,' and the success of this maiden edition is widely expected to make it an annual fixture at the institution.
Point of View
Not just tolerance of it. What is easy to miss in the feel-good framing is the deeper integration story: a Tamil Nadu campus, far from Bengal, becoming a site where first-generation Durga Puja participants learn rituals alongside families for whom this festival is ancestral memory. If this model scales across IITs and central universities, it could quietly reshape how pan-Indian cultural identity is experienced by the country's future elite.
NationPress
21 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Was this the first Durga Puja ever held at IIT Madras?
Yes, this was the first-ever Durga Puja organised on the IIT Madras campus. It was held at the institute's community hall and spanned five days from Sasthi evening to Vijaya Dashami.
Who organised the Durga Puja at IIT Madras?
The puja was organised by the IIT Madras Bengali community in association with Diganto, an independent student body and cultural club functioning under Sangam, the institute's cultural club umbrella.
How many people attended the IIT Madras Durga Puja?
More than 2,500 people attended over four days, including students, faculty, staff, campus families, and visitors from across Chennai.
Did the IIT Madras Director participate in the celebrations?
Yes, IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti joined the rituals and chanted chapters from the Durga Saptashati during the celebrations.
Why is the IIT Madras Durga Puja significant?
It marks the first instance of a full-scale Durga Puja being held on the IIT Madras campus, blending religious observance with cultural education. The event drew participants from diverse regional backgrounds and is seen as a model for cultural integration at premier educational institutions.
