As Durga Puja comes to Delhi, we take a look at the festive trends that are dominating the city

Srijani makes her way through the bustling lanes of Connaught Place trying to find oxidised statement jewellery to go with her saree. “Golden and bronze are my new favourite shades even though as a child, I was happy with ‘something in silver’. But with Pujos becoming more like an extravaganza, what goes into the jewellery box has changed too,” she says.

Bengalis take their sarees seriously as they do their food, especially during Durga Puja. The aim everyday is to have the ‘perfect look’ which may begin with a single idea, but it usually ends with a blitz of accessory shopping.

Festive trends to spot in Delhi this year as Durga Puja arrives in the city

New preferences

Heritage-inspired outfits, unconventional colour choices and versatile silhouettes are set to shape Durga Puja fashion this year, with comfort increasingly taking precedence over heavy embellishments, says Sidhharrth S Kumaar, a life coach and a Puja enthusiast. While the tradition of wearing colours associated with each of the nine days will remain, shades of green, brown and wine are gaining popularity. Floral motifs, traditional prints and crystals also offer alternative ways to incorporate personal preferences into festive dressing.

This is Srijani’s first Durga Puja away from her home, Kolkata, and comfort over appearance is top of her mind. “I work in the publishing industry, and we don’t get Pujo holidays in Delhi. But I want to wear sarees every day, so my pick has been comfortable cotton and linen ones,” she says, clearly primed up for Shashthi and the other Pujo days.

Is it Instagrammable?

“Comfort and what’s Instagrammable are the two primary keywords for this season’s festive wear,” adds Kumaar. He believes people increasingly prefer outfits that reflect their personality and can be repurposed for other occasions.

For men, the trend has always been simple—a kurta in solid colours never goes wrong. However, Harsh, a shopper at Delhi Haat, says he is looking for soft embroidered silk kurtas this year. “I am tired of the boring kurtas; I am looking for soft floral prints that don’t scream for attention, such as magenta in linen or sage green in chikankari that look festive yet aren’t too maximalist,” he says. “Excessive embellishment that hampers mobility is passé,” Kumaar says.

Sandeep Kapoor, founder of an ethnic-wear brand SHREE, is of a similar opinion. Durga Puja fashion this year is about balancing traditional aesthetics with comfort, versatility and contemporary styling, he says.

From softer ivory and earthy neutrals on Shashthi to deeper wine and emerald green on Ashtami, festive wardrobes are embracing colours suited to different occasions. Red and white, however, continue to hold their place in Dashami celebrations. Fluid kurta sets, lightweight fabrics, floral prints and heritage-inspired designs are also gaining popularity.

“Heavy embellishment hasn’t died; it’s just being used more selectively,” Kapoor says, pointing to the growing preference for subtle embroidery and statement dupattas over heavily decorated outfits.

Sustainable fashion

Apoorva, a screenplay writer, told us, that being “Delhi-born”, for her, Durga Puja is incomplete without CR Park pandal hopping in a saree. But this year, she plans to restyle the ones already in her wardrobe. “All I’m shopping for Puja this year are quirky accessories—an embellished belt, heavy earrings and necklaces that can lift any look. We all have so many clothes lying around in the wardrobe that if they were styled differently with unconventional accessories, they would look like new attire altogether,” she says.

Unlike Apoorva, her mother has selected a white saree with a dark maroon border, paired with golden jewellery for Ashtami morning. “Navratri season is all about glam and jewellery is always useful,” she says. Many stylists and retailers in the city also believe that the trend of statement jewellery is on the rise this year.

Navratri fashion in Delhi is expanding beyond traditional outfits, with accessories, jewellery and beauty products becoming integral to festive dressing, says Rachit Kapoor, head of D2C, Partnerships and New Initiatives at DigiHaat. “Consumers are gravitating towards versatile festive pieces that can be styled across celebrations,” he says, citing a growing interest in handmade jewellery, locally sourced fashion and beauty essentials.

As the city slips into the rhythm of the festivities, it is not just new clothes that are finding their way into wardrobes, but old favourites being rediscovered, heirloom jewellery being brought out, and familiar sarees taking on a new life. Between the shimmer of statement earrings and the comfort of a well-loved cotton drape, Puja fashion is becoming less about dressing by the rules and more about dressing for oneself.

This article is written by Srestha Sarkar

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.