The idol-makers’ quarter, in north Kolkata beside the river. Clay from the Hooghly, straw, bamboo and jute are worked into the Durga, Kali and Saraswati idols that go to every pandal in the city and are exported to Bengali communities worldwide.
It is a working district of narrow lanes and open workshops, not a market. The craftsmen are happy to be watched but it is their workplace. The season runs from about August, and by the week before Puja the lanes are impassable with finished idols waiting to be collected.
Inside the market
The sections, the shops and what each one sells| Name | Where | What is there |
|---|---|---|
| The idol workshops1700s | Banamali Sarkar Street and the lanes around | Open-fronted studios, several run by the same families for generations. |
| Clay and straw suppliers | Kumartuli | The raw material trade behind the idols; Hooghly clay, straw, bamboo, jute. |
| Decoration and ornament makers | Kumartuli | Sholapith ornament, zari, crowns and weapons for the idols. |
| Kumartuli Ghat | on the Hooghly | Where the clay comes ashore. |
| Kumartuli Park Sarbojanin1930s | Kumartuli | The quarter’s own Durga Puja. |
| Sovabazar Rajbari1757 | Shobhabazar, nearby | One of the bonedi bari whose family puja predates the public pandals. |
| Ahiritola and Bagbazar ghats | on the river | The ghats used for immersion. |
Worth knowing before you go
- August to October is the season. Outside it the lanes are quiet.
- It is a workplace. Ask before photographing people at the bench.
- The week before Puja is remarkable and almost impassable.
- Combine it with Hatibagan and the north Kolkata sweet shops.
- Sovabazar metro is the nearest station.
The other markets
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A note on this page. Restaurants, shops and markets open, move and close far more often than industries do. Everything here is a snapshot of Kolkata as of 2026, offered as a starting point rather than a live listing. Check the address and the hours before you travel.
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