A change of political guard in May, new groups seeking control of puja organising committees barely four months before the festival, and uncertainty over funding made this an unusually difficult year for Kumartuli, artisans in the idol hub said.
Durga idols remain unsold almost every year. But this time, the numbers were far higher than usual, several artisans said. For some, it was the first time in decades that idols went unsold.
A few were considering switching to making only Ganesh idols for Ganesh Chaturthi, citing fewer cancellations, more predictable demand and better returns.
“This is the first time in nearly 40 years that one of my Durga idols has remained unsold. A puja organiser from Puddapukur in Howrah had agreed to take it but backed out at the last moment,” said Samir Pal, in his late 60s. “My idols have never gone unsold. I made only 16 idols this year, not too many. Yet one is still lying in my godown.”
Ahead of Lakshmi Puja on Sunday, Kumartuli’s narrow lanes were busy on Saturday afternoon, with artisans selling Lakshmi idols of various sizes and putting the finishing touches to their work. But behind the activity lay concerns over the Durga Puja season that had just ended.
“Durga ekhane pore thakena (Durga idols don’t remain unsold here),” said Abhijit Pal. “But look around and ask, and you’ll find that almost every other studio has one or two unsold idols. One of my bookings was cancelled at the 11th hour. The committee said it had decided not to hold the puja this year.”
Located in north Calcutta, between Sovabazar and Ahiritola, Kumartuli has around 166 studios that produce nearly 8,500 idols. The city’s municipal area has around 3,000 pujas. The craft cluster, where artisans from Krishnagar in Nadia are believed to have settled about 300 years ago, generated more than ₹200 crore in business last year.
Kolkata Police figures indicate that nearly 400 new pujas received official permission this year after the BJP-led government came to power, taking the total to 3,319, the highest ever, senior officers said.
But artisans said the increase in the number did not tell the whole story.
“While new pujas received permission, nobody is talking about those who chose not to organise theirs amid political uncertainty,” said Naba Pal. “There were power struggles for committees, and no one seemed ready to secure corporate funding on the scale of previous years.”
The shift in power within committees, funding constraints and uncertainty over the government’s promise to change established practices appeared to have altered the mood this year, conversations with artisans and veteran puja organisers suggested.
All 22 of Naba Pal’s Durga idols found buyers, most of them sabeki, or traditional, designs. But he sensed a change this time.
“Till last year, we artisans could tell that committee members were keen to pay, whatever their source of funds. That wasn’t the case this time,” he said.
Artisans also pointed to rising costs. Shortages of clay and higher prices for bamboo, rope and labour had pushed up expenses, making it harder for organisers facing uncertain budgets.
“Every artisan in Kumartuli maintains a certain standard. For some organisers, the cost seemed too high this year, especially amid uncertainty over funding,” said Bhabesh Ranjan Pal.
Biswanath Pal said the contrast with previous years was stark. “Lakshmi does not bring in big business. The money comes from Durga Puja. Till last year, there was a certain enthusiasm, a josh. That was missing this time.”
“Some idol makers have many unsold idols. Several committees did not organise their pujas this time,” he added.
Some organisers were turning away from Kumartuli to save on transportation or reduce spending on idols compared with last year, artisans said.