Bengal: Theme-based Durga idol orders decline after BJP, Hindu group requests

Orders for theme-based Durga idols have dropped significantly this year at Kolkata's traditional idol-making centres after the BJP and Hindu rights organisations called for a return to conventional depictions of the deity.

The pressure reflects ongoing debates over the creative expression and cultural representation in religious iconography during major festivals in West Bengal. Idol makers report the decline in demand for contemporary and themed interpretations of the goddess.