This Diwali, lights biz of Chandannagore shines again after 2 yrs

KOLKATA: The business of decorative lights of Chandannagore has revived with a bang with big Pujas in Kolkata and Howrah using them during Kali Puja, which is scheduled to be held on Monday.

The light industry had suffered a major setback for two years during the pandemic.

The Kali Puja of Venus Club in South Kolkata, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has also used such lights.

Tapan Ghosh, a vendor from Chandannagore, said: "We have done the decorative lights of Venus Club and another club on Rashbehari Avenue. The light industry is slowly coming out of the trauma of pandemic."

Abhijatri Club of Ichapur in Howrah has also used the decorative lights of Chandannagore.

Ghosh said many Jagatdhatri Puja of Chandannagore have used the decorative lights in 2022. The lights will be used during the immersion also.

The decorative lights of Chandannagore was first brought during the Kali Puja in Kolkata in the 1970s by Krishna Chandra Dutta alias Phata Kesto. Sridhar Das, who first made the lights of Chandannagore popular, came to Kolkata and arranged the decorative lights of the Kali Puja of Nabajubak Sangha, which was organised by Phata Kesto.

There are more than 100 industrial units that make the decorative lights. These units are situated between Chandannagore and Bhadreshwar.

Ghosh said the lights of Chandannagore have pan India market. The lights are used to add value to many marriage parties that are held in Hyderabad and Chennai. During the Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharastra, Chandannagore lights are used.

A hub to house many units to manufacture decorative lights is coming up in Chandannagore.