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Durga Puja and Navratri are many things at once: prayer, performance, reunion, celebration. At the heart of it all, fashion is their silent storyteller.
Sarees are central to Durga Puja fashion.
At the heart of Durga Puja, style revolves around the saree. In the morning, women drape simple taants, crisp and light, perfect for pandal-hopping. By evening, heavier silks or Balucharis emerge, catching the glow of fairy lights, their intricate borders narrating stories of craft and heritage.
The red-and-white combination, iconic to Durga Puja, shows up everywhere, yet each interpretation is unique. Some wear heirlooms passed down through generations; others pick fresh handlooms from Kolkata’s markets, while a few reimagine tradition entirely, pairing a classic border with a modern blouse or layering jewellery in ways their mothers never would. “That mix of memory and reinvention is what makes Puja fashion alive,” says Radhika Subramaniam, India’s first AI travel influencer.
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“Jewellery speaks its own language. Shakha-pola bangles click softly with every movement, gold chokers shimmer in the light, and silver earrings from college stalls remind many of youth. Mothers’ mangalsutras are worn differently for the season, and even a strand of jasmine tucked into hair serves as an ornament. Each piece quietly carries history, identity, and pride, echoing the past while embracing the present,” Subramaniam adds.
Shringaar holds its place too. Deep red bindis, kohl-lined eyes, and hands dipped in alta before sindoor khela blend ritual and beauty. Some celebrate subtlety, others boldness; teenagers experimenting with smoky eyes share spaces with grandmothers in crisp buns and fresh vermillion, each belonging to the moment in her own way.
Durga Puja glam extends beyond appearance. It embodies Shakti, the feminine energy that the festival celebrates. While West Bengal revels in dhunuchi naach and the red-white drape, the devotion, colour, and movement resonate universally. Every fold of a saree, every jewel, every colour reflects memory, meaning, and feminine vitality. Dressing up is never just about beauty. It is about stepping into a living tradition, remade each year in threads, in shringaar, and in the women who wear them.
About the Author
Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi…Read More
Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi… Read More
Delhi, India, India
September 30, 2025, 19:23 IST
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Author: News18
