Kumartuli or Kumortuli is located in the northern part of the city of Kolkata . The locality is a traditional habitat of the potters for nearly three hundred years. The potters or the artisans or the artists settled here during the restructuring of the Kolkata colonial region by the British East India Company . Earning a livelihood by making earthen pots and utensils first they gradually shifted to the making of the idols of Gods and Goddesses for various festivals round the year. With increasing demand and quality of their creations over time the artisans became famous and Kumartuli came to be known as the hub of idol makers supplying thousands of idols, particularly of Goddess Durga , to whole of the state of West Bengal and to NRIs of around 90 countries across the globe. At least three months before Durga Puja , the biggest festival of West Bengal and one of the biggest across Eastern India, more than five hundred workshops come alive with hyper activity day and night. Fir...
I never had the slightest element of doubt about the professionalism and fair practices of the fish markets of the great city. Those markets have always been places of joy for the fish eaters, not only for the rich assortment of the fishes—from the biggest to the smallest varieties—but also for the unfailing freshness and taste of the fishes. The priciest is almost always the most coveted Hilsa or the Ilish which is never less than a thousand bucks per kg and going upward depending on the size. The next local attraction is the Katla the cut pieces of the biggest size of which usually cost from four hundred to five hundred per kg—on the busy Sunday the prices hit the upper ceiling. Taking into account other fishes like Rohu and the smaller ones the markets somehow manage to fit everybody’s budget, except of course, for the highly spirited locals who prefer to go for the Ilish or the rather scarce and equally pricey Bhetki varieties only come what may, i.e. the money in their pock...