Kolkata: Hope returned to the narrow lanes of Kumartuli after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Friday that more Durga Pujas would be organised across the state this year.
For idol-makers in the traditional artists’ hub in the city, the announcement eased weeks of uncertainty over the scale of the festival and the potential impact on their livelihoods.
“The orders for Durga idols have been negligible so far as organisers have also been on a wait-and-watch status. Everyone is seeing how the situation evolves. But after the chief minister’s assurance, we are hopeful that orders for idols will start coming in soon,” said Kartika Pal, secretary of Kumartuli Mritshilpi Industrial Cooperative and member of the Kumartuli Mritshilpi Sanskritik Samity. “In fact, some of the organisers got in touch with us for preliminary talks. We are also hopeful that the govt’s assurance of providing financial assistance to smaller puja committees will help the clubs meet the expenses.”
Addressing a news conference during an event marking 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led NDA govt on Friday, Adhikari said: “Durga Puja will happen, and there will be even more pujas this year.”
The announcement came at a crucial time for Kumartuli, where artisans have also been grappling with a shortage in the supply of clay, a key raw material to make idols. A few days ago, artisans organised a rally from Ramlila Maidan to the KMC headquarters, demanding regularisation of clay supply and measures to protect the idol-making industry. The shortage reportedly started after the administration tightened regulations on clay excavation from riverbanks, permitting only licensed operators to dig up clay for trade.
“We are feeling optimistic after hearing the chief minister’s statement. We expect to receive orders for Durga idols soon. The labourers have also arrived from different parts of the state to work here,” said China Pal, a woman idol-maker in Kumartuli. “When the CM has given such an assurance, we believe the govt is already working on the arrangements required. It is reassuring to know that the govt is considering the interests of artisans, like us.”
Adhikari also announced that only organisers, who required financial support to hold Durga Puja, would receive assistance from the state govt, while those capable of holding the festival independently would not be eligible for grants. Although the criteria for eligibility are yet to be announced, the move is expected to benefit low-budget puja committees that rely on govt aid. More than 44,000 Durga Pujas are held across Bengal, around 2,500 of them being in Kolkata and the suburbs. “Smaller-budget pujas form the bulk of the total number. So the govt’s assurance of financial assistance to these pujas will ensure that the organisers will not have to scale down their celebrations,” said Bikash Pal, another idol-maker in Kumartuli.
