Kolkata: Jump in idol orders brings festive cheer to Kumartuli

KOLKATA: Celebrations in Kumartuli — the potters’ enclave — have begun way ahead of Durga Puja as orders for the idols have already started pouring in after a gap of two years due to the pandemic. Several big organisers have already placed orders after Rath on July 1 and idol makers are busy getting them ready.
According to estimates given by senior idol makers, the orders are up by almost 40% till now as compared to previous two years. Since the orders have already started pouring in, idol makers who work for multiple organisers have started hiring helpers. Many others have started repairing their workshops for protection against rain.
Durga Puja will be celebrated in the first week of October. “Last two years, the business was very bad due to the pandemic. The number of orders had reduced by almost one third. Others scaled down celebrations and festivity. But this year several orders have already been placed. I have been hired by three puja committees in north Kolkata to make the idols,” said Mala Pal, an idol maker in Kumartuli.
Several artisans have already finished making idols for Durga Pujas abroad and have delivered them too.
“Most puja organisers placed their orders on Rath or few days later as it is considered auspicious. The big budget Pujas in the city have placed the order for the idols,” said Mrityunjay Pal, another idol maker in Kumartuli.
The other reason behind the excitement around the biggest festival in the state is that Durga Puja is now inscribed on Unesco’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a tag that has taken the festival to the global stage.
The government as well as the puja organisers have decided to celebrate the international honour during this year’s festival, which will reflect in the scale of festivities.
“Durga Puja is the biggest festival of the state and it received such a wonderful international recognition last year. For the last two years the celebrations were subdued due to the pandemic, but this year situation is under control. If Covid situation remains under control the festivities will be scaled up,” said Surendra Kumar Sharma, general secretary of the organising committee at Mohammad Ali Park.