WHAT IS PANDAL HOPPING ? PANDAL HOPPING IN SILIGURI

Crowd Outside A Pandal

Pandal Hopping means visiting several pandals by foot.During Durga Puja many roads are reserved only for pedestrians from specific period of time in the evening.No vehicle can pass through these routes.They are mostly diverted to another route.It is the day for pedestrians where people don't mind exercising their foot.A habit which is ruined by the growing number of vehicles.

Pandal Hopping of Durga Puja is done for three days- Saptami(7th Day of Puja),Asthami(8th Day of Puja) and Navami(9th Day of Puja).People adorn themselves in their best clothes to visit the pandals. The shopping for the three day event begins a month before the durga Puja.I see the market crowded with shopping enthusiasts.Since, I concentrate mostly on events related to Siliguri (West Bengal) therefore I shall highlight the important facts of the city.This part of India is less known to people across the globe.

On Saptami, locals begin Puja Hopping from 7 pm . Although hopping can be done in the daylight but the temperature is generally high during daytime and the lights are turned off. It looks best during night.Entire Hill Cart Road from Hotel Central Plaza to Venus More is a vehicle-free zone .No vehicle is allowed here from 5:30 pm.They lift the restriction after midnight if the crowd is less.The same rule applies for Vidhan Market and Stadium Road.Places like Darjeeling More,Sevoke Road,NJP Road and Matigara-Bagdogra Highway remains open for the traffic.

PANDALS TO SEE ON HILL CART ROAD
Hill Cart Road becomes a graceful sight.It is ornamented with beautiful lights.Important Pandals on this route are -

• Pandal Beside Delhi Hotel
• Champasari Pandal
• Air View or Howrah Petrol Pump Idol
• Pandal Opposite to Hong Kong Market
• Venus More Pandal

BEST PLACES TO EAT ON HILL CART ROAD

Ofcourse, Puja is not all about just hopping there is an another aspect of it- Food.Okay! Since everybody is a different kind of eater therefore I have categorized the food hubs on the basis of food type.Please note the places mentioned are personally visited and liked by me therefore they find their mention here.However, there could be other places which serve better food.

CHINESE (MOMO,FRIED MOMO & CHOWMEIN)

HONG KONG MARKET MOMO GALI

PAO BHAJI

THE STALL BESIDE BOMBAY STORE( They serve the best Pao Bhaji in entire Siliguri )

CHAAT

HONG KONG MARKET MOMO GALI

SOUTH INDIAN (DOSA,IDLI AND SAMBAR WADA)

HOTEL RAJDARBAR 

HOTEL SALUJA

INDIAN FOOD

MAHABIR BHOJNALAYA (Sevoke More)

HOTEL RAJDARBAR

HOTEL SALUJA

PAUL RESTAURANT CUM HOTEL (Air View More )

BENGALI FOOD

BHOJOHURI MANNA(Opp to Yadav Samiti/Flower Shops on Venus More )

PUNJABI FOOD
AMARDEEP HOTEL (Sevoke More)

SWEETS & SNACKS

UNIQUE SWEETS( Air Vew More )

MAHABIR BHOJNALAYA (Sevoke More )

CONFECTIONERIES

MIO AMORE( My favorite )

VICTORIA JUNCTION

ARYA BAKERY(Opp to Hong Kong Market Main Entrance)

PAAN SHOP

PAAN PALACE

Apart from Hill Cart Road there are many places which construct beautiful Pandals but they are separated from each other by great distance.Subsequently, I have mentioned only about Hill Cart Road because one can see greater number of pandals here without compromising on the food options. 

Dashami(10th Day) is a visarjan day which means the idol of Goddess Durga is submerged in the river so that she returns next year afresh.A huge crowd of people visit the banks of the river Mahananda to celebrate the event of Subho(Holy) Dashami(10th Day).

You can also view -

PICTURES OF SILIGURI DURGA PUJA PANDALS

DURGA PUJA IN SILIGURI