Durga Puja in West Bengal is not just a cultural extravaganza but also a significant economic event, involving transactions totaling at least Rs 40,000 crore and generating employment opportunities for around three lakh people, according to stakeholders. With over 40,000 community pujas, including 3,000 in Kolkata alone, the festival sparks economic activities for three to four months each year.
Partho Ghosh, Chairman of Forum For Durgatsab (FFD), highlighted that the grandeur surrounding the festival leads to transactions exceeding Rs 40,000 crore, supporting the employment of two to three lakh individuals across the state. Puja committees act as facilitators for a micro-economy, involving various sectors like pandal construction, idol-making, electrical work, security, priests, dhakis (drummers), and those handling food arrangements.
Kajal Sarkar, President of FFD, emphasized that beyond the core puja activities, sectors such as fashion, textiles, footwear, cosmetics, retail, literature, publishing, tourism, hospitality, and entertainment experience a significant boost in sales during the five-day festival. This year, the estimated transactions around the festival could reach Rs 50,000 crore, driven by renewed enthusiasm and increased corporate sponsorship of at least Rs 500 crore.
The stakeholders also see the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage tag as a collective achievement that may contribute to the festival’s prosperity in the years to come. Despite political debates over the West Bengal government’s financial aid to pujas, they believe the assistance is crucial for sustaining cultural traditions.
Economist Debnarayan Sarkar noted that Durga Puja is a consumption-led activity with a multiplier effect on the state’s GDP. While a study by the British Council in 2019 estimated the value of creative industries around Durga Puja at around Rs 33,000 crore, Sarkar suggests that the current size of the puja economy could exceed this estimate, potentially reaching Rs 70,000 crore. The British Council expressed interest in participating in future research to assess festival economies in West Bengal and other states. West Bengal’s Industry Minister, Shashi Panja, stressed the importance of recognizing the festival’s economic impact, emphasizing that it generates substantial employment and contributes to diverse economic activities.
