DORSET INDIAN ASSOCIATION

UK Registered Charity Number: 1189959

Welcome To

DORSET INDIAN ASSOCIATION

We Celebrate Every Festivals Whole-Heartedly

Dorset Indian Association (DIA) is a socio-cultural organisation based in Bournemouth and Poole, committed to promoting cultural harmony, social inclusion, and shared traditions within the wider Dorset community.

The name “DIA” means “The Sacred Light” – a light that knows no boundaries and shines on all equally. True to this spirit, we believe in building bridges between communities through culture, connection, and compassion.

Each year, DIA organises vibrant Indian festivals including Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Pohela Boishakh, and Rabindra-Nazrul Jayanti. These events celebrate India’s rich cultural heritage and are open to all, welcoming participation from the wider community regardless of background or belief.

In addition to our cultural celebrations, we actively support community wellbeing through health awareness campaigns, educational programs, and charity fundraisers. We work in collaboration with a number of respected organisations such as Julia’s House, BBC Children in Need, St Mungo’s, Dorset Race Equality Council, Wessex Cancer Alliance, Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and LiveWell Dorset. These partnerships allow us to contribute meaningfully to the health and wellbeing of our local community.

We warmly invite everyone to rejoice, connect, and celebrate with us – embracing the colour, light, and unity that Dorset Indian Association brings to Dorset.

DURGA PUJA 2025

Maha Sashti

Sunday 28th September

Sashti Pujo 07:00 PM 
Puspanjali 08:00 PM 
Bhog Prasad 08:30 PM 

Maha Saptami

Monday 29th September

Saptami Pujo 10:00 AM 
Puspanjali 12:00 PM 
Bhog Prasad 01:00 PM 
Sandhya Arati 07:00 PM 
Puspanjali 08:00 PM 
Bhog Prasad 8:30 PM 

Maha Astami

Tuesday 30th  September

Astami Pujo 10:00 AM 
Puspanjali 12:00 PM 
Sandhi Pujo 12:30 PM 
Bhog Prasad 01:00 PM 
Sandhya Arati 07:00 PM 
Puspanjali 08:00 PM
Bhog Prasad 08:30 PM

Maha Nabami

Wednesday 01st October

Nabami Pujo 10:00 AM 
Puspanjali 12:00 PM 
Hom 12:30 PM 
Bolidan 01:00 PM 
Bhog Prasad 01:30 PM 
Sandhya Arati 07:00 PM 
Puspanjali 08:00 PM 

Maha Dashami

Thursday 02nd October

Dashami Pujo 05:00 PM
Puspanjali 06:00 PM
Bisarjan 06:30 PM
Sindur Khela 07:00 PM
Raffle Prize Draw 07:30 PM
Dashami Dinner 8:30 PM

DURGA PUJA SCHEDULE 2025

Mahalaya by Birendra Krishna Bhadra

Our Festivals

Not Just Durga Puja, We Celebrate Other Festivities Too...

Gettogether

Dorset Indian Association hosts family dinners and lunch outings to stay together and keep the bonding alive between all Indian and Non-Indian members of the community.

Charity Event

Our aim is to promote arts and cultural heritage of India. We achieve this by organising celebrations like Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Rabindra Nazrul Jayanti and other cultural programmes throughout the year. We arrange charity events and raffles to raise money and we have donated to charities like BBC Children in Need, St Mungos Bournemouth, Julias House, Bournemouth Womens Refuge and others.

Saraswati Puja

Saraswati Puja is the ritual worship of the goddess Saraswati. The festival is celebrated in the month of January-February in India. Saraswati is considered the goddess of knowledge and learning. Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, art and music is the daughter of lord Shiva and goddess Durga.

Thank you for visiting our website. Please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail or by phone.

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