The city that groomed Lionel Messi is also home to a vibrant Bengali community.
The Durga Puja organised by the Bengali Cultural Association (BCA) of Barcelona, Spain, turns five this year.
What began as a celebration rooted in Bengali tradition has grown into an occasion that draws people from far beyond the Bengali community. Families from across the Indian diaspora, along with local Spanish and Catalan visitors, gather each year to participate in the rituals, enjoy the music and soak in the festive warmth.
“What makes the BCA festival unique is its fidelity to tradition. This is not a celebration squeezed into a single weekend for convenience — it unfolds over five full days, following the almanac in Bengal. We follow the rituals to a T,” said Roshni Mukherjee, 41, an English teacher and member of the organising committee.
The festivities will be held at a hall near the Arc de Triomf, in the heart of Barcelona.
At the centre of the celebrations stands a 13-foot ekchala (single-frame) idol of Durga and her children, sourced directly from the idol-makers of Kumartuli.
This is the third consecutive year the association is using the idol. A smaller, miniature ekchala idol is worshipped during the rituals. On Dashami, it is immersed in a flower pot, where it dissolves.
In its fifth year, the association is introducing something new: sourcing all its puja decor from Calcutta in partnership with an NGO dedicated to promoting rural handicrafts.
As in Calcutta, food is inseparable from the festivities in Barcelona. Bhog is served every afternoon — luchi, alur dom and chholar dal on Saptami; khichuri, beguni and labra on Ashtami; and pulao and paneer on Navami.
Food stalls are also set up in the evenings, serving Bengali and other Indian fare, from biryani and macher chop to samosas.
The five days are packed with activities for all generations, from sit-and-draw competitions for children to conch-shell blowing and the rhythmic dhunuchi naach, recreating the sights and sounds of Durga Puja.
A cultural night featuring music, dance and drama, rehearsed over several months by association members, is another highlight.
The festivities conclude with the Bijoya Sammelani, a joyous gathering that brings the community together.
Four friends, homesick for the sights, sounds and aromas of a Bengali autumn, started the puja in 2022. Since then, it has blossomed into a vibrant community of more than 70 families.
“For BCA families, the puja is not simply an annual event — it is an anchor. Living far from Bengal, they see the festival as a way of ensuring their children grow up familiar with the traditions, values, and stories that shaped their parents, carrying them forward into a new generation raised abroad,” said Sanjay Dasgupta, president of BCA Spain and a restaurateur.