Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged Durga Puja organisers in Kolkata to adopt traditional themes, citing the plight of 150 families in Kumortuli.
Kumortuli, a narrow lane on the Hooghly River, has been the cradle of Bengal’s idol makers for centuries. Today, the 150 families who live and work there carve and paint the clay deities that are the heart of the festival.
The new BJP government has cut the generous grants that the previous Trinamool Congress had allotted to puja committees, forcing organisers to tighten belts. The potters say the lack of funding has made it difficult to secure workspaces and raw materials.
Manab Paul, a native of Kumortuli, says each idol takes about a month to build, from bamboo scaffolding to the final brushstroke. 'We can’t ask anyone about the cost; Maa cannot be sold,' he says, while shaping a soft clay figure. Rajesh Paul adds, 'It takes a month to build one idol—first we shape the hay on a bamboo structure, then we mold the clay, let it dry, paint it, and whisper a prayer while drawing Maa’s eyes.'
The Adani Group is restoring the Grade‑1 heritage Kumortuli Ghat, hoping to open it to the public before the festival. Masons work under the banyan tree, polishing stone and repairing the old plinths that have seen generations of idols.
After the festival, the potters will ship the freshly carved idols to Shillong, Nadia district and various parts of Kolkata. The first batch is expected to leave the lane on May 15, according to Subhajit Paul.