Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami is today. In West Bengal, Durga Puja celebrations happen on this day with various pandals celebrating the Goddess. Whether you are in West Bengal or not, these apps will help you keep track of the festival with just your smartphone.
Thepuja.app
Thepuja.app is a web app that allows users to virtually visit various notable Durga Puja pandals from across the state of West Bengal. It has an interface similar to how Google Street View works. In order to get an immersive 360 virtual tour of many different Durga Puja pandals, you need to first go to thepuja.app on your phone or computer’s browser. Once you do that, you will be taken to the web app’s home page where you will be given many different pandals to select from. You can click on any of these to start your virtual tour.
Screenshots of the Shradotsav app. (Image credit: Department of Tourism, Govt. of West Bengal/Google Play)
Shradotsav
Shradotsav is an app launched by the West Bengal Department of Tourism. This app is an all-in-one guide for Durga Puja celebrations in the state. It gives you a map of various different Puja pandals across the state. You can browse through the map and select the various pandals to get more information about them, including descriptions, details, and images. The app can also help you find Durga Puja pandals near you if you are in West Bengal. You can also get emergency contacts, including those for calling an ambulance, calling the police, or contacting hospitals. The app is available for Android users and can be found on the Google Play Store.
Screenshots of the Utsab app. (Image credit: Kolkata Police/Google Play)
Utsab app
The Utsab app was launched by the Kolkata Police and will give you insights into the Durga Ashtami celebrations happening across the city of Kolkata. Just like thepuja.app, the Utsab app offers a 360 degrees tour of certain pandals. And just like Shradotsav, it has a map of various Durga Puja pandals, albeit limited to the city of Kolkata. The Utsab app also suggests nearby “hopping” destinations. The app is available for both iOS and Android users and can be found on the Apple Store and on Google Play.
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