Kolkata: Idol sales dip as pandemic hits small industries in Kumartuli

KOLKATA: The sale of Vishwakarma idols in Kumartuli has declined by almost 25 to 40% this year. This is a grim indicator of the financial distress in small and medium scale industries in the city and its suburbs where the deity is worshipped every September 17 followed by feasts.
Before Ganapati stole the show, Lord Vishwakarma would usher in the festive season in Bengal which continues till Kali Puja.But this year the demand for the idol has been low due to the pandemic, economic downturn and closure of several units due to lack of business.
“I would sell at least five big and several small idols. This year I sold only two big idols and very few small ones,” said Prodyut Paul, an artisan in Kumartuli.
Jhulan Paul, another artisan, said there were hardly any orders for big idols this year which normally come from the industrial clusters in North 24 Parganas and some parts of Kolkata. “The orders have declined by 25 to 40% this year,” said Paul.
In areas like Baithakhana in Amherst Street, where several printing presses are situated, the mood has been gloomy. “Many people have shut down the units because there is no business,” said Jyoti Kumar Sarkar, associated with book binding.
The transport sector too has been hit. “I owned four app cabs. I had to sell two as they were not fetching adequate revenue,” said Sagnik Ghosh, a transporter in central Kolkata. This year several business owners organised Ganesh Puja so could not spare adequate funds for another puja in just a week’s time. Even small and medium sized sweetshops have received fewer orders.