Durga Puja’s ₹65,000-crore economy: Who profits and who gets left behind?

A vast section of West Bengal’s informal economy is inextricably linked to the organisation and celebration of Durga Puja. In 2026, the festival’s economy is estimated to have reached between ₹50,000 crore and ₹65,000 crore, accounting for approximately 2.5 to 3 per cent of the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Nearly 300,000 people depend directly on the festival for their livelihoods. Yet, beneath this impressive economic growth lies a deeper inequality. According to official figures, 13,000 more pujas were organised this year than last year. Nevertheless, the gap between large-budget pujas and smaller neighbourhood celebrations continues to widen. While major puja committees are securing record advertising revenues, smaller committees, traders in traditional wholesale markets and street vendors are struggling to stay afloat.

A 65,000/- crore festival

Although estimates of the size of Durga Puja’s economy in 2026 vary slightly across organisations, the broader picture remains consistent. According to an analysis by The Indian Express, Durga Puja generates an estimated ₹50,000–65,000 crore in economic transactions annually in Bengal. A report by The Telegraph India, citing regular observers of the market and economy, puts the festival’s total economic value at approximately ₹65,000 crore. The festival provides a livelihood for nearly 300,000 people.

A 2019 survey conducted by the British Council estimated the value of the creative industries economy built around Durga Puja at ₹32,377 crore, equivalent to 2.58 per cent of the state’s GDP at the time. An increasingly large share of this enormous economic activity, however, is now flowing into the organised sector and towards major puja committees, leaving smaller businesses with a diminishing share.

Big-budget pujas and the growing dominance of the organised sector

In 2026, outdoor advertising slots at popular, large-scale pujas had been completely booked well in advance. The growing use of LED displays pushed advertising rates up by at least 20 per cent. Areas such as Park Street, Camac Street and Theatre Road emerged as major advertising hubs, possibly in part because they fall within Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s Bhawanipore Assembly constituency.

Amit Mitra, Executive Vice-President of Pioneer Publicity Corporation, said:

“LED displays have pushed advertising rates at big-budget pujas up by at least 20 per cent. As a result, brands have cut expenditure on puja committees along smaller roads to rationalise their budgets.”

Organised retail businesses also recorded substantial gains this year.

Siddharth Pansari, Managing Director of Primarc Projects, reported that footfall at his malls during the 45-day pre-Puja period had increased by approximately 17 per cent compared with the previous year. Visitor numbers rose from around five lakh in September to nearly seven lakh in October. He also reported that festive business during the month had reached approximately ₹38 crore.

South City Mall recorded a 20 per cent increase in footfall over the weekend preceding Puja, while Acropolis Mall attracted nearly 18,000 visitors in a single day. Departmental store chains such as Style Baazar, Baazar Kolkata, Fashion Baazar and Zudio also drew crowds across the city and its suburbs.

Small puja committees and traditional traders under pressure

In stark contrast to the success of large pujas, smaller committees and traders operating in Kolkata’s traditional markets faced an unprecedented challenge.

Kajal Sarkar, an official of the Forum for Durgotsav, said:

“Nearly 30 per cent of outdoor advertising slots at smaller pujas remained vacant because advertisers concentrated their entire investment on a handful of specific routes.”

According to the organisation, which represents more than 550 puja committees across Kolkata, Howrah and the suburbs, these slots remained unsold as prominent brands cut their spending on pujas located along smaller roads.

Traditional markets such as Gariahat, Hatibagan and New Market also came under mounting pressure. Asit Kumar Saha, a representative of the Hawkers Joint Action Committee, said online shopping, departmental stores and malls had severely affected small street vendors operating in traditional market areas such as MG Road, Barabazar, Hatibagan, Shyambazar and Jadavpur.

Although Gariahat, Hatibagan and New Market witnessed a rise in footfall over some weekends in September, this proved to be a rare exception. Overall, sales among street vendors remained sluggish. According to The Times of India, hawkers recorded a 50 per cent increase in customer footfall on the streets during that particular weekend. Yet this offered little more than a brief respite after a prolonged downturn.

The E-commerce surge: Another blow to street vendors

The expansion of e-commerce in Digital India has further aggravated the difficulties faced by traditional traders. During the festive season, e-commerce companies recorded sales worth approximately ₹24,000 crore within the first two days alone. A substantial share of this spending is diverting potential customers away from traditional markets.

Sushil Poddar, president of the Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations (CWBTA), said:

“Traditional retailers are losing business because they cannot compete with the prices offered by large online platforms.”

He clarified that the problem was not simply the rapid growth of e-commerce but the substantial price disparity between online and offline sellers.

This shift is not merely seasonal. It points to a long-term structural transformation in the retail economy, one in which smaller businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to survive.

Sculptors and artisans: The people behind the festival

Sculptors and artisans constitute another vital pillar of Durga Puja’s economy. This year, however, clay shortages created unprecedented difficulties for the idol-makers of Kumartuli. Restrictions imposed by the local administration on extracting clay from riverbanks disrupted supplies, delaying the work of many artisans by as much as two months and driving up the cost of raw materials.

Samir Pal, a senior member of the Kumartuli Mritshilpa Sanskriti Samiti, said:

“After speaking to the local MLA and members of his party, we managed to arrange some clay for this Durga Puja. But how will we manage during Kali Puja and the other festivals ahead? This has only been a temporary arrangement.”

Alongside the shortage of clay, bamboo shortages, unseasonal rainfall and the intrusive presence of social media content creators have made their work even more difficult.

Although these artisans are among the principal drivers of Durga Puja’s economy, their financial security and social recognition remain unresolved concerns. An earlier British Council survey estimated the total value of the idol-making economy at approximately ₹260–280 crore. But how much of this substantial economic value actually reaches the artists themselves?

Government support and corporate patronage

The state government has continued to provide financial assistance to Durga Puja committees. In 2026, however, a new dimension was added to the festival’s funding landscape: corporate patronage. The state government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Adani Enterprises to explore cultural initiatives associated with Durga Puja.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said:

“Not just West Bengal, but the Bengali community across the world looks forward to Durga Puja. Now, the Adani Group has also joined this auspicious initiative.”

While such corporate partnerships may bring additional resources to large puja committees, their benefits do not necessarily extend to smaller organisers. In the long run, this growing disparity could undermine the overall economic health of the festival.

Protecting small businesses, extending social security to artisans and strengthening local economies must receive equal attention. Only then can Durga Puja truly become a festival for everyone.

The economic landscape of Durga Puja 2026 demonstrates the vitality of West Bengal’s economy. The ₹65,000-crore festival has generated record profits for major puja committees, shopping malls and e-commerce platforms. Yet the benefits of this economic growth have not been distributed equitably. Smaller puja committees, street vendors, traditional traders and sculptors are increasingly being left behind.

The 30 per cent of advertising slots left vacant at smaller pujas, the clay shortages plaguing Kumartuli and the price war between online retailers and traditional street markets all point to the same underlying problem: the economic wheel of the autumn festival is no longer turning equally for everyone.

For Durga Puja’s economic growth to become more sustainable and inclusive, the concerns of those working in the informal sector must be taken seriously. Otherwise, no matter how dazzling the festival’s lights and sound shows become, much will remain in darkness beneath the lamp.

Reference

1. The Telegraph India. (2026, October 17). Durga Puja business in Bengal sees uneven gains, small traders face pressure.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/durga-puja-business-in-bengal-sees-uneven-gains-small-traders-face-pressure/cid/2185172

2. Business Standard. (2026, October 17). Bengal Durga Puja business booms for big organisers, smaller committees lag.

https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/bengal-durga-puja-business-booms-for-big-organisers-smaller-committees-lag-126101700174_1.html

3. Indian Express. (2026, October 18). How Bengal’s Durga Puja came full circle: From private patronage to public celebration and back. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/how-bengals-durga-puja-came-full-circle-from-private-patronage-to-public-celebration-and-back-10926049/

4. The Telegraph India. (2026, September 25). Bengal govt signs MoU with Adani Enterprises to explore Durga Puja-related cultural initiatives.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/west-bengal/kolkata/bengal-government-signs-mou-with-adani-enterprises-to-explore-durga-puja-related-cultural-initiatives-prnt/cid/2181524

5. The Hindu. (2026, October 14). Sculptors in Kumartuli bemoan shortage of clay, higher costs, intrusive content creators.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/west-bengal/sculptors-in-kumartuli-bemoan-shortage-of-clay-higher-costs-intrusive-content-creators/article71578391.ece

6. ABP Live. (2026, October 14). Durga Puja 2026: How Kolkata’s Festival Fuels Thousands Of Livelihoods Across Bengal.

https://news.abplive.com/lifestyle/durga-puja-2026-kolkata-bengal-informal-economy-livelihoods-1871365