Kolkata, November 8: With Kali puja celebrations round the corner and Kolkata, being referred to as the "City of Joy," is abuzz with festive excitement as the artisans are getting orders from USA, Uganda and UAE for Goddess Kali idols. With a few days left for Kali puja, idols of the goddess are ready to be sent abroad from Kolkata's Kumartuli. This year, the export of Kali idols are much more than the previous year as people worshipping Goddess Kali have increased in abroad. As Kali Puja is to be celebrated later this week, artisans are working for hours to finish the intricately crafted idols of Goddess Kali, while the streets are alive with a multitude of cultural events. Kali Puja is a very significant festival for Hindus, especially in the state of West Bengal.

Preparations are in full swing in Bengal, and it's truly a pleasure to witness Kolkata celebrating the Festival of Lights in a vibrant manner. This celebration centers around the worship of Shakti, or Goddess Kali, symbolizing the triumph of Good over Evil. Also referred to as Shyama Puja, as Goddess Kali is often known as Shyama, signifying black or dark, the festival is also observed in Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, and certain regions of Maharashtra.

The festival signifies the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance." Kali Puja 2023 Date and Time in Kolkata: When Is Shyama Puja in Bengali Calendar? Know the Significance and Celebrations Related to the Festival Dedicated to Maa Kali.

An artisan, Mintu Pal from Kolkata, who sells and exports the idols of Goddess Kali abroad, shared his experience and said that earlier, the idol of Goddess Kali was not getting exported abroad that much, but this year it is being exported more. "This year, a lot of Goddess Kali idols have been exported abroad. We are getting orders from USA, Uganda and UAE for Goddess Kali idols. I have received six orders for Goddess Kali idols from abroad this year and this idol is the sixth one which will be going to Dubai tomorrow. Every year, more Durga idols are exported abroad but this year we have seen that even during Durga Puja, many Kali idols were ordered abroad. Like the worship of the Durga idol, the worship of the Kali idol is also increasing in foreign countries. Most of the people there worship Goddess Kali along with the Durga idol," he said.

"Earlier, the idol of Goddess Kali was not getting exported abroad that much, but this year it is being exported more. I started receiving orders for Kali idols around the time of Durga Puja," Mintu added. He said that the price of an idol of three to four feet is around Rs 60-70 thousand and if the idol is a little bigger, the price is above Rs 1 lakh. "In foreign countries, mostly the idols made up of fibres are exported. Exporting a clay idol abroad is risky because there is a fear of breaking, whereas an idol made of fibre can be carried easily and worshipped for at least three years and can also be well decorated," the artisan said. Kali Chaudas 2023 Date in Diwali Week: Know Puja Timings, Shubh Muhurat and Significance of the Day Dedicated to Kali Maa.

As compared to the last many years, business is good this year. For the last two years, profit has been lower due to the coronavirus pandemic. After the pandemic, the price of the raw materials increased but the price given by the customer didn't. However, as compared to last year, this year the business is a little better; hopefully, it will be better next year," Mintu added. In Bengal, Kali Puja is celebrated generally a day after Diwali in Northern India, depending on the tithi.

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