Kumartuli
কুমারটুলি
The potters’ quarter
A few lanes by the river where clay from the Hooghly becomes gods. Generations of kumars (potters) build idols on straw and bamboo frames for Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja and more, and ship them across India and abroad.
Did you know
- Idols made here travel to Bengali communities around the world.
- The weeks before Durga Puja are the busiest; on Mahalaya the eyes of the goddess are traditionally painted.
A short walk to try
Enter from Rabindra Sarani into Banamali Sarkar Street, wander the workshop lanes and come out at Kumartuli Ghat on the river.
Getting there
- Metro
- Sovabazar Sutanuti (Blue Line)
Places to visit in Kumartuli
- Kumartuli: The lanes where the city’s gods are made from river clay.
- Kumartuli Ghat: The potters’ own ghat on the Hooghly.