Indian diaspora in the Netherlands to host first community Kali Puja

Members of the Indian diaspora in the Netherlands are preparing to host the first community Kali Puja in the Benelux region, which includes Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

The event is organized by Uchchas, an Indian cultural community that started in 2024 with four families and has since expanded to nine. The group aims to preserve Indian traditions and Bengali culture while bringing Indian residents abroad together.

The organizers chose a community hall in Alphen, near Amsterdam, to introduce the festival to the local Dutch population. While Bengali communities have celebrated Durga Puja in the Netherlands for over a decade, Kali Puja remains unfamiliar to most local residents. The two-day celebration includes Diwali on November 7 and Kali Puja on November 8. The event features music, dance, and cultural performances.

Participants of different ages are decorating the venue with a Rajasthani art theme to share different aspects of Indian culture with neighbors. The group plans to serve free bhog prasad, a traditional meal, to approximately 400 people. Because local laws do not allow for the immersion of idols, the community will follow the Bengali ritual of boron to store the idol for the following year.