Kolkata Markets Buzz With Festive Cheer Ahead Of Dhanteras And Diwali

Kolkata: The festive spirit has brightly lit up the markets of Kolkata, bursting with colour, energy, and excitement as the city prepares for Dhanteras and Diwali celebrations. In 2025, Diwali will arrive with even more excitement, marking six-day festivities that start from October 18 and will end on October 23. Shops across the city are adorned with colourful idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi, vibrant rangoli materials, and a wide variety of decorative items. Customers can be seen enthusiastically exploring new varieties of home decor and making their purchases for the festival.A customer, Hema Prasad, said, "We got a throne and bought flowers to decorate the entrance. We also got a toran to hang at the gate, along with other items to decorate the house. We even bought colours for making the rangoli."Another customer, Suman Gupta, bought a Lord Krishna idol and has already done the remaining Diwali shopping. Suman said, "We've brought Thakur ji (Lord Krishna), and we've also got everything else like the bandhanwar, rangoli, and diyas. Everything we needed to buy is done." Shopkeepers, meanwhile, are reporting a better market performance compared to last year, with a wider variety of items on sale. While Dhanteras will be celebrated on October 18, Diwali will be celebrated two days later on October 20. A shopkeeper, Arjun Shankar, said, "Last year, we had 47 items; this time, we have 65. Business is also better compared to last year. Since there hasn’t been any rain recently, sales are going well."