Deep into the heart of North Kolkata lies Kumartuli, the hub of clay image makers of goddess Durga and her entourage. It is that time of the year for the Kumartuli artisans whose clay-smeared hands are at work day and night.
Deadlines for delivery of the images of the community pujas as
well as several household worships are round the corner. The idol makers are indisprnsible; yet they lead a precarious existence.
Beyond sustaining livelihood, Kumartuli ‘s craft has evolved into a performance art. Puja organisers do not bat an eyelid while ordering an image of the goddess whose facial likeness is asked to be like a Bollywood heroine be it Hema Malini of yore or Deepika Padukone of recent vintage.
And there is fair share of controversy too. The idol makers find themselves at their wits end when asked to .make a Mahisasur, the buffalo demon fighting the goddess, who is a look alike of a political leader.
The artisans walk a tight rope while executing such orders. For a close resemblance has its fallouts
The idol making is no longer about continuing traditions; it is also about spectacle. Themes are the order of the day.
They range from Operation Sindoor to a sylvan. village of Bengal.In so many words, themes are contests of imagination.
They stray into cinema, literature and political allegory. And they are tough calls.
Supriya Devi was once asked to be sculpted into iconigraphy when Ritwik Ghatak film Meghe Dhaka Tara was the theme of a puja. Sholay which is on its 50th year is a popular theme this year and the idol makers are being asked to make its protagonists resemble the goddess and her family.
The situation has been made more difficult this year by the unseasonal fownpour. Naturally, blow lamps are sharing space with pots of paint as time and unpredictable showers have joined forces.
The clay is taking time to dry..This in turn is delaying the painting of the images.
Apart from clay idols, there are other lighter material ranging from fibre and expanded polystyrene. or thermocol. These idols are usually exported to UK, US, Canada and Germany.
idol making is a male dominated profession. But China Pal daughter of noted image maker Hemanta Pal has made her presence since 1994
China’s work is much in demand. And besides a socio-evonomic uplift, her work also breaks a social taboo making a loud and clear statement that it is not longer a man’s world in Kumartuli.
Kumartuli is racing against time. Every minute counts.
Durga, a combination of Mother the Protector and a daughter returning to her parents place from her in-laws home is etched into each intricate creation.
Kumartuli’s narrow lanes are pulsating with contradiction. Amateur models pose with half finished idols. Instagrammers chase the light against half finished torsoes.
The lanes are a backdrop for self display. They are also a forge of divinity.
