Kolkata Buyers Ditch Chinese Diyas for Handmade Local Alternatives

As of October 20th, 2025, Kolkata's Diwali markets have witnessed a remarkable shift in consumer preferences, with a significant surge in demand for locally-made candles, diyas, and handcrafted clay diyas. This trend marks a stark contrast to the previous years, when Chinese-made items were the dominant choice among buyers.

Several traders in the city's Janbazar market have reported that even when they had stocks of Chinese lights and tea-lights, customers were actively seeking out handmade local diyas, often refusing to purchase the Chinese products. One seller, Sameer Sarkar, noted, "Surprisingly, most of the buyers are searching for handmade diyas while the highly popular Chinese products are being kept aside as most of them refuse to buy them."

This shift in consumer behavior has been echoed by other long-time sellers, such as Sheikh Sakil, who has been selling these products for the past 25 years. He observed, "This year, the trend changed, with buyers inclined to buy only indigenous and handmade products. In the last few years, the demand for Chinese candles was quite high, but suddenly the demand shifted to buying desi items that are flying off like hotcakes."

Traders attribute this change to the superior quality and innovation of the handmade local diyas, which are seen as more durable and longer-lasting compared to their Chinese counterparts. As one trader, Subhojit Maity, explained, "In terms of quality and innovation, the handmade diyas are a step forward. Chinese items burn out very quickly, but local diyas last much longer. These things have set a different trend this year, I think."

The surge in demand for indigenous products has been a boon for local artisans and manufacturers, such as Aramita Chouwdhury, who reported "unpredictable sales that I never expected" and the "most hectic" period since entering the field four years ago. Chouwdhury noted, "The demand for different forms of diyas and wax items is huge this time."

This shift in consumer preferences towards locally-made Diwali decorations has been welcomed by buyers as well, with many expressing a desire to support local artisans and shop owners during the festive season. As one buyer, Mukta Dadlani, stated, "We always prefer buying earthen diyas as we feel it's our duty to support local artisans and shop owners during the festive season, and we never bargain."