States » EastPosted at: Oct 5 2026 11:33PM


Bengal: Lotus brings communities together as Muslim growers gear up for Hindu Festival in Malda

Malda, Oct 5 (UNI) In Malda, where lotus flowers are being carefully preserved for one of Hinduism’s most revered festivals, a quiet story of communal harmony is taking shape inside a cold storage facility at Kamalabari in English Bazar block.
As Bengal prepares for Durga Puja, lotus growers and traders in Malda are working against time to ensure a steady supply of the flower, which is an important part of several rituals during the festival.
Interestingly, many of those cultivating and collecting lotus flowers in Malda are Muslims. For them, the flower is a source of livelihood. For Hindu devotees, the same flower becomes an offering of faith. This simple connection between livelihood and devotion has added a special dimension to the Durga Puja preparations in the district.
Around five lakh lotus flowers have already been collected and preserved at the cold storage in Kamalabari. Another five lakh are expected to be stored before the festival. Through a special preservation process, the flowers will be released in phases from Shashthi to Dashami and supplied to different markets and puja committees to meet the increased demand.
The lotus has a special place in Hindu worship. During Durga Puja, flowers are offered to Goddess Durga as part of the rituals, with the traditional offering of 108 lotuses holding particular significance.
For Muslim lotus growers, however, the flower represents hard work and livelihood.
“We collect lotus from ponds, water bodies and wetlands in different parts of Malda and adjoining areas. Normally, the flowers are sold soon after collection. But during Durga Puja, demand is much higher. So we collect the flowers in advance and preserve them to ensure there is no shortage during the festival,” said lotus cultivator Barkat Sheikh.
The same flowers cultivated and collected by Muslim farmers will eventually reach hundreds of Hindu households and puja pandals, where they will be offered to Goddess Durga.
“It is our livelihood. We work hard to grow and collect the flowers and sell them in the market. During Durga Puja, demand increases manifold, and we are happy that our flowers are used in the worship,” Sheikh said.
According to Ujjal Saha, president of the Malda Cold Storage Industry Owners’ Association, the facility is being used to maintain a steady supply of lotus during the festival.
“Lotus from here is supplied to small and large Durga Puja celebrations across Malda. We also send flowers to puja committees outside the district. This year, both the number of pujas and demand for lotus have increased. Therefore, we are preserving more flowers than in previous years,” Saha said.
The journey of the lotus from Malda’s ponds to the puja pandals reflects a quiet chain of interdependence. Muslim cultivators grow and collect the flowers, traders preserve and distribute them, and Hindu devotees offer them in worship.
As Durga Puja begins, the humble lotus thus carries a simple message of coexistence—different faiths, but shared livelihoods, markets and everyday human relationships.
UNI MBN NST MCR
Tags: #Bengal: Lotus brings communities together as Muslim growers gear up for Hindu Festival in Malda
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