Quick take: Kali Puja (Kali Pujo, Shyama Puja, কালী পূজা) is on the night of Sunday 8 November 2026, the same new-moon night as Diwali. The pandals are at their best from late evening until the puja around midnight. Start in Pandu and Maligaon, a few minutes from our pickup, then ride to Kamakhya and Ugratara in Uzan Bazar. A scooty starts at ₹799/day and gets you through the jams near the pandals. The dates and the full list of places are on our Diwali and Kali Puja in Guwahati 2026 page.
When to go
Kali Puja is a night festival. The pandals light up after dark on 8 November, the crowds build through the evening, and the main puja is held late at night, around midnight. Many people go out after the Lakshmi Puja at home in the early evening.
- 7–9 pm: the easiest time to see the pandals, with families out and the roads still moving.
- 10 pm to midnight: the busiest stretch, near the big pandals and the Kali temples.
- After midnight: the puja itself. Stay for it at one place rather than trying to ride between pandals.
Pandals usually stay up for a day or two after the puja, so 9 November is a quieter evening to see the ones you missed.
Why a scooty or bike
On Kali Puja night, lanes near the big pandals jam and some get closed to traffic. Parking for a car is close to impossible near the temples. On two wheels you can get through slow traffic, park a short walk from the gate and see three or four places in an evening.
Our automatic scooty starts at ₹799/day and is the easiest to ride in a crowd, even with a pillion. If you're comfortable with gears, a bike from ₹999/day works just as well. A helmet comes with every rental.
Stop 1: Pandu and Maligaon
You start in pandal country: our pickup is in Maligaon, and Pandu is next door.
- Tridhara Boys Kali Puja, 4 No. Colony, Pandu. A railway-colony puja known for its large themed pandals. This year's theme hasn't been announced yet.
- The neighbourhood pandals of Maligaon and Pandu. The railway colonies here put up their own pandals and lights. The photo at the top of this post is one of them, near Maligaon, on Kali Puja 2025.
Go here first, early in the evening, before the city-centre crowds build.
Stop 2: Kamakhya Temple
Kamakhya Temple on Nilachal Hill is 5 km from our pickup, with the foothill gate 3 km away. The temple is busy through the festival, with rituals that run late into the night. The hill road is slow on festival evenings, so go up early, park where you're directed, and expect to queue.
From the road up the hill you can see the whole city lit up below: worth a stop on the way.
More: Kamakhya Temple by scooty or bike.
Stop 3: Ugratara Temple, Uzan Bazar
Ugratara Temple in Uzan Bazar is one of Guwahati's best-known Shakti temples, and among the busiest places in the city on Kali Puja night. It's on the other side of the city centre from us, so ride along the river and leave the scooty a few minutes' walk away; the lanes around the temple fill up fast.
Further out: Basistha
Bibek Path Sarbojonin Kali Puja at Basistha Chariali is known for its decorated pandal (theme not announced yet). Basistha is on the far side of the city from Maligaon, so it's a long ride across town on a busy night. Make it a separate evening, perhaps 9 November, rather than squeezing it into the same night as Pandu and Ugratara.
Our scooters
Pickup in Maligaon from 7 AM
Riding on Kali Puja night
- Keep the visor down and ride slowly. Firecrackers go off in the streets all evening, sometimes right at the roadside.
- Park away from where people are lighting crackers, and never ride over one that's been lit.
- Follow the police diversions. Lanes near the big pandals often turn one-way or close; don't argue with the barricades.
- Two helmets, two layers. November nights are cool, and you'll be out late.
- Don't drink and ride. If the night will run late, plan who's riding home.
- Agree your return time. Pickups are from 7 AM. If you want to return the scooty after the midnight puja, tell us when you book and we'll arrange a late-night return.
With the family?
With children or older relatives, a car with a driver is easier on a late night: you're dropped at the gate and picked up when you're done, with no parking to find. See our private car and cab page for city day hire.
FAQs
When is Kali Puja 2026 in Guwahati? On the night of Sunday 8 November 2026, the same new-moon night as Diwali. The main puja is held around midnight.
Which Kali Puja pandals should I visit in Guwahati? Start with the pandals of Pandu and Maligaon, including Tridhara Boys at 4 No. Colony, Pandu. Then the Kali temples: Kamakhya on Nilachal Hill and Ugratara in Uzan Bazar. Bibek Path Sarbojonin at Basistha Chariali is further out. Our Diwali and Kali Puja page has the list.
What's the best time to see the pandals? From about 7 to 9 pm for the easiest riding, or 10 pm to midnight for the busiest, liveliest stretch. Stay at one place for the midnight puja.
Can I rent a scooty just for Kali Puja night? Yes. A one-day rental from ₹799 covers the evening and the night; return it by the agreed time. Pickup is in Maligaon from 7 AM; ask when you book if you need a late-night return.
Is it safe to ride a scooty on Kali Puja night? Yes, if you ride slowly, keep your visor down and stay clear of where crackers are being lit. Expect closed lanes and heavy crowds near the big pandals.
Where do I go for Diwali lights and shopping? See our Diwali night ride in Guwahati, and for a trip out of the city over the holidays, Diwali trips from Guwahati.
Contact / Book
Tell us your dates on WhatsApp and we'll keep a scooty or bike for Kali Puja night. Festival nights are busy, so book early.
The information in this post is indicative. Final terms and policies are discussed and confirmed when you take the vehicle on rent.
