PM Modi Extends Maha Ashtami Wishes, Set To Visit CR Park’s Iconic Kali Mandir Today

Last Updated:September 30, 2025, 09:24 IST

The prime minister’s visit to CR Park is not just a symbolic gesture but an outreach to the Bengali community ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal next year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Image: Instagram)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended Maha Ashtami greetings to the country, wishing for “happiness, peace, and excellent health” of citizens on the auspicious occasion. The prime minister will mark the day by participating in the Durga Puja celebrations at the iconic Kali Mandir and Shiva Temple located in south Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park (CR Park)—which draws huge crowds every year—on Tuesday.

The CR Park Durga Puja, among the most prominent celebrations in the capital, features elaborate pandals, lively cultural performances, and traditional religious rituals, drawing thousands of devotees from across Delhi-NCR. At the heart of the festivities is the Kali Mandir complex, established in the 1970s, which serves as a spiritual and cultural center for the city’s Bengali community.

As part of security protocol, residents have been asked to remove all vehicles parked along the main roads, while local hawkers have been instructed to temporarily vacate areas to ensure crowd control. The Special Protection Group (SPG) conducted a security assessment of the area on Monday ahead of the prime minister’s visit.

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory, warning of heavy traffic congestion on major arterial roads, including the Outer Ring Road (particularly the stretches between Panchsheel and Greater Kailash), Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, JB Tito Marg, Inder Mohan Bhardwaj Marg, and the CR Park Main Road. Vehicular movement will also be restricted on Gurudwara Road, Bipin Chandra Pal Marg, and several internal roads of CR Park and GK-II. Diversions will be in effect from key points, including under the Panchsheel, IIT, and Nehru Place flyovers. Light and heavy goods vehicles (LGVs and HGVs) will be redirected accordingly.

Outreach Ahead Of 2026 Polls

The prime minister’s visit to CR Park is not just a symbolic gesture but an outreach to the Bengali community ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal next year.

CR Park is often referred to as the “Mini Kolkata” of Delhi, home to a large and influential Bengali community. By visiting one of the most prominent Durga Puja celebrations here, PM Modi is engaging directly with this demographic, many of whom still have strong cultural and familial ties to West Bengal. It’s a soft-power move that shows cultural sensitivity and aims to build goodwill among Bengalis outside the state who often influence opinion back home.

The BJP has often faced criticism in Bengal for not fully understanding or integrating into the state’s deep-rooted cultural and linguistic ethos. The prime minister’s presence at such a high-profile Puja sends a message that the party respects and embraces Bengali traditions, aiming to bridge that perception gap ahead of 2026.

By attending a Bengali festival in Delhi, the prime minister signals that West Bengal remains high on the BJP’s political radar. After the party’s aggressive campaign in the 2021 assembly elections, the visit renews its commitment to Bengal, positioning the BJP as a continued alternative to Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress.

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