Quick take: For five nights in October, Guwahati's pandals light up and the city stays out past midnight. The roads near the big pandals jam and parking disappears, which is exactly when a scooter earns its keep. Start in Pandu and Maligaon, where some of this year's most talked-about pandals are a short ride from our pickup, then spend the next evenings working your way into the city.
When is Durga Puja 2026 in Guwahati?
The main days run from Shashthi on 16 October to Vijaya Dashami on 21 October. Ashtami, the night of Sandhi Puja, is 19 October and Navami is 20 October. Mahalaya, which marks the start of the season, falls on 10 October.
Most pandals open on Panchami or Shashthi, and the crowds build every night until Navami. Dates, timings and the full list of pandals by area are on our Durga Puja in Guwahati 2026 page.
Why a scooty works best
On the busiest nights the police close roads around the big pandals and turn others one-way. Cars queue and circle for parking. On two wheels you can slip through slow traffic, park a few minutes' walk from the gate, and fit four or five pandals into an evening instead of two.
Our automatic scooty starts at ₹800/day and is the easiest to ride in crowded streets, even two-up. If you're comfortable with gears, a bike works just as well.
Evening 1: Pandu and Maligaon
Pick up your scooty at our Maligaon location in the late afternoon and you're already in pandal country. This corner of the city has some of the most ambitious pandals of 2026.
- Kamakhya Colony Durga Puja, Pandu Road. In its 64th year, the committee has gone for a dream-inspired theme: an imaginary world built from dreams, with a 12-foot idol and handloom artwork.
- BBC Colony Type-I & Sankar Nagar, Pandu. A space-themed pandal lined with LED screens and digital visuals. The organisers call it Assam's first fully immersive LED pandal interior, so go after dark when it's at its best.
- Rest Camp Kalibari, Rest Camp. One of the biggest crowd-pullers in the city, with bright lighting, a funfair and food stalls. Last year it built a peacock palace; this year's theme hadn't been announced when we wrote this.
- Tarun Sangha, Pandu. Known for playful ideas, like a chess-inspired "game of kings" in 2025. Worth a stop to see what they've come up with this time.
Park on a main road where you can and walk in to the colony pandals. You can cover all four in an unhurried evening and still be back in Maligaon for dinner.
Evening 2: Adabari
Head west from Maligaon to Adabari Tiniali, where the Kamakhya Nagar Durga Puja marks its 32nd year with a pandal built in the style of the Puri Jagannath Temple. A dhak troupe from Bolpur in West Bengal plays through the puja, and on Ashtami there's a quiz for visitors. Don't mix it up with Kamakhya Colony in Pandu: different committee, different theme.
Adabari is a busy bus junction, so expect slow traffic around the tiniali itself. Pair it with the Pandu pandals you missed on the first night.
Evenings 3 and 4: into the city
With the west side done, ride into central Guwahati, where the older and bigger pujas are.
- Yubatirtha Club, Panbazar. Its 91st year, with the Dashavatar (the ten avatars of Vishnu) as the theme, in a pandal styled on the Jagannath Temple.
- Guwahati Barowari Puja, Paltan Bazar. One of the oldest pujas in the city, held since 1942. This year's decor is green and purple, with an environmental message and a water fountain.
- Latasil. Marking its 50th year with a pandal inspired by the Kedarnath Temple. Come on Ashtami night for the puppet show, or in the daytime for Ojapali, Assam's traditional sung storytelling.
- Athgaon. One of Guwahati's biggest: last year's Harry Potter theme drew more than five lakh visitors. In 2026 the pandal is modelled on the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple. Expect the longest queues of the night here.
- Chatribari. Known for bold ideas, from a library that got visitors reading to a tribute to India's soldiers in 2025. Check what they've built this year.
Central Guwahati is where the diversions are heaviest. Park once near each cluster and walk between pandals rather than riding from gate to gate.
Dashami: the immersion
On Vijaya Dashami (21 October) the idols are carried to the river for immersion, with processions, drums and dancing. In past years the routes have run to ghats including Pandu Port, so roads near the river and around Pandu close in the evening. Watch a procession from a side street, and plan to cross the city before it starts.
Which night for what
- Shashthi and Saptami (16–18 October): the pandals are open and the crowds are smaller. Best for seeing the themes properly and taking photos.
- Ashtami (19 October): Sandhi Puja, the Latasil puppet show, and the biggest crowds of the week. Go late, and expect to walk.
- Navami (20 October): almost as busy as Ashtami, with food stalls at their liveliest and dhunuchi dancing at many pandals.
- Dashami (21 October): immersion processions. Ride early, or watch from one spot.
Riding tips for puja nights
- Park, then walk. Don't try to ride up to the gate of a big pandal. Leave the scooty where it's allowed, lock it, and note where you left it.
- Wear the helmet. Ours come with one, and it's the law for both rider and pillion.
- Carry your license and ID, and keep your phone charged for maps on the way back.
- Mind the return time. A rental day ends at 11:59 PM, and late returns are charged by the hour. If you'll be out past midnight, book an extra day. Pick up after 8 PM and that night is free, which suits an evening of pandal hopping.
- Book early. Puja week is our busiest time for scooters and bikes.
The full rental terms are on the self-drive rentals page.
Travelling as a family or group?
Two wheels are best for two people. For a family, the self-drive car seats 7 and has room for shopping bags and tired kids. You'll spend more time parking, so pick two or three pandals per evening and park once for each.
If you'd rather not drive at all, book a car with a local driver for the evening. The driver drops you near each pandal, waits, and finds you afterwards, and nobody has to worry about diversions or parking. Get a price for a chauffeur-driven car, or message us on WhatsApp with the pandals you want to see.
FAQs
Q: Can I rent a scooty in Guwahati for Durga Puja? A: Yes. Our scooters and bikes are picked up at our Maligaon location, close to the Pandu pandals. Book early, as puja week sells out.
Q: Which pandals are near Maligaon? A: Kamakhya Colony on Pandu Road, BBC Colony Type-I & Sankar Nagar, Rest Camp Kalibari and Tarun Sangha are all in Pandu, a short ride from our pickup. Kamakhya Nagar at Adabari Tiniali is just to the west.
Q: Which night has the smallest crowds? A: Shashthi (16 October) and Saptami. Ashtami and Navami are the busiest nights.
Q: Can I keep the scooty past midnight? A: A rental day ends at 11:59 PM, so for a late night book the next day too. Late returns without notice are charged by the hour.
Q: Is there a chauffeur option for pandal hopping? A: Yes. A car with a local driver can take you around the pandals for the evening, so you don't have to deal with diversions or parking.
Contact / Book
Tell us your dates and how many of you are going, and we'll hold a scooty, bike or car for puja week.
