9 hrs ago
A Heritage Walk Reveals Kumartuli Beyond Durga Idol Workshops
Kumartuli in Kolkata is famous for artists who make Durga idols.
A heritage walk there shows that the neighbourhood has many other stories too.
Some artisans make the crowns and decorations worn by the idols.
An old shop keeps antique radios and memories of how people once listened to music and news.
The neighbourhood also has a temple and a historic family home with a special Durga Puja tradition.
At Kumartuli Ghat, river clay has been brought to potters for generations.
The ghat has also been redeveloped as a public riverside space.
Together, these places show how art, worship and history are part of everyday life in Kumartuli.
Kumartuli’s heritage walk highlights its idol-makers and the specialist artisans who create ornaments, crowns and accessories for deities.
An antique radio shop at 40 Banamali Sarkar Street preserves analogue radios; Amit Ranjan Karmakar took over its operations in 1976.
Dhakeshwari Mata Mandir is a landmark associated with Devi Dhakeshwari in Kumartuli’s winding lanes.
Kabiraj Bari houses an ancestral Durga Puja dating to 1840, with distinctive placement of Ganesha and Kartik and worship following Shaivism principles.
Kumartuli Ghat, built in the eighteenth century, historically supplied river clay to potters and has undergone a ₹10-crore redevelopment.
- Who
- Kumartuli’s potters, specialist artisans and heritage sites; the walk was accompanied by Manoshi Roychowdhury.
- What
- A heritage walk explored Kumartuli’s crafts, antique radio shop, temple, historic home and riverside ghat.
- Where
- Kumartuli, North Kolkata, including Banamali Sarkar Street, Kumartuli Street and Kumartuli Ghat.
- When
- The article gives no date for the walk; it says Kabiraj Bari’s Puja dates to 1840 and moved to its present location in 1857.
- Why
- To explore heritage and cultural stories beyond Kumartuli’s well-known idol-making workshops.
Distinctive traditions
Conventional arrangement
Kabiraj Bari’s Durga Puja iconography
Distinctive traditions
At Kabiraj Bari, Ganesha is placed to Durga’s left and Kartik to her right; worship follows Shaivism principles.
Conventional arrangement
The article contrasts this arrangement with the conventional placement of the divine family, but does not describe that arrangement in further detail.
Key facts
- Antique radio shop
- At 40 Banamali Sarkar Street; founded in 1967 by Amit Ranjan Karmakar’s father.
- Shop operator
- Amit Ranjan Karmakar took over operations in 1976.
- Kabiraj Bari
- At 17 Kumartuli Street, Sovabazar; also known as the House of Kaviraj Gangaprasad Sen or Boro Bari.
- Ancestral Durga Puja
- Dates to 1840 and moved to its present location in Kumartuli in 1857.
- Kumartuli Ghat
- Historically built in the eighteenth century by Raja Nabakrishna Deb.
- Ghat redevelopment
- A ₹10-crore project added or improved features including concrete steps, a viewing porch, public amenities and murals.
Quotes
Manoshi Roychowdhury
Co-chairperson of Techno India Group who joined the heritage walk
“The visit also touched on some of the historical landmarks in and around Kumartuli, including the Dhakeshwari Mata Mandir, where time seems to stand still. This walk will stay with me for a long time, and the artistry I witnessed was breathtaking. Calcutta has many claims to the title of India’s cultural capital, and Kumartuli is a vibrant testament to it.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
Related news
Six Essential Kolkata Experiences During Durga Puja
Harakutir Bari’s Durga Puja Evolves From Baithaks to Reels
Festive Clay Crafts Sustain Women’s Livelihoods Amid Economic Challenges
Kumartuli Durga Idols Shrink Amid New Puja Restrictions
Salt Lake Area Durga Puja Guide Highlights Kolkata’s Diverse Themes
Blind Sculptor Creates Durga and Ganesh Idols by Touch
Durga Puja Debate Intensifies Under West Bengal’s New BJP Government
