Shops and premises

Bhim Chandra NagKolkata (Bowbazar)since 1826

Sandesh, and the Ledikeni — a fried chhena sweet the shop associates with Lady Canning.

Founding dates for the older Kolkata sweet houses are the shops' own, and are not independently documented.

Nalin Chandra Das & SonsKolkata (Shyambazar)since 1841

Sandesh in a large range of moulds, and nolen gur work through the winter.

Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra NandyKolkata (Hatibagan)since 1844

Naram pak sandesh, and a jolbhora with a liquid gur centre that has to be eaten whole.

PutiramKolkata (College Street)since 1855

Radhaballabhi, kochuri and chholar dal, sold to the university crowd since before the university had one.

K. C. DasKolkata (Esplanade and branches)since 1868 as Nobin Chandra Das; the firm from 1935

Rosogolla, and the tinned rosogolla that made the sweet portable.

Balaram Mullick & Radharaman MullickKolkata (Bhowanipore)since 1885

Sandesh and mishti doi, and a large modern range built on the same chhena technique.

Chittaranjan Mistanna BhandarKolkata (Shyambazar)since 1907

Mishti doi set in earthen pots, and kalakand.

Tantuja and the Santipur–Fulia weavers' societiesSantipur and Fulia, Nadia

Santipur and Fulia cotton saris direct from the cooperative and from individual weaver households.

Buying at the weavers' societies rather than in a city showroom is the difference between a weaver's margin and a trader's.

Khagra bell-metal marketBerhampore, Murshidabad

Kansa and brass plates, water vessels and the thala-bati sets used at weddings.

Ghurni workshopsKrishnanagar, Nadia

Fired and painted clay figures, sold from the modelling sheds themselves.

Fewer than a couple of dozen master modellers now work here; the sheds are open to visitors on request.

Kumartuli workshopsKolkata

Idols, from small household Saraswatis to the twenty-foot Durga frames, and the sholapith dressing.

From July the lanes are effectively a working factory floor. Ask before photographing an unfinished face — the eyes are not painted until Mahalaya, and there are customs about it.

Chandernagore lighting workshopsChandernagore, Hooghly

Sequenced electric-light tableaux built on bamboo frames, hired out to festivals nationwide.