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Fails to bring cheer: Durga Puja artisans struggle to meet deadlines with lack of amenities

The lack of Infrastructure and unruly weather patterns have brought in challenges for the idol makers in Kolkata. With the fast-approaching deadlines, the community of these idol makers are struggling even more.

Mirror Now Bureau

Updated Sep 25, 2022, 14:25 IST

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Photo : iStock

By: Adrija Saha

Kolkata:The idol making community in Kolkata are facing various problems due to lack of infrastructures, constant changing weather patterns due to climate change and fast approaching deadlines. The idol making community living in the Kumortoli area of Northern Kolkata receives orders from across the world and India. Many of their idols are also transported to London and other European countries.

Business in the last two years has not been that good due to the pandemic, celebrations even within the State were small due to budget cuts of the puja committees. However, this year the celebration is back and orders have also flooded in, however, recovering economy and increasing inflation have resulted in an acute increase of prices of the raw materials used to make idols.

“This is the prime season of our business, we cannot say no to our customers it will affect our business in the long term, hence, we have to settle for a lower price range of the idols. Our profits have been minimalized due to the rising costs,” said an artist known as Mala Pal.

“People are expecting idols at almost the same cost as it was two years ago. Business has been bad in the last two years, and even if we have received lot of orders the prices at which we are forced to sell is not sufficient,” said another artist.

As Durga puja is right around the corner, with lack of assistance from the government, poor infrastructure and incessantrain, it is very difficult to get the work done in time. “We had to say no to a lot of orders because we don’t have enough time or space to complete so many idols,” stated Mala as she continues juggling to manage her work.

“One of the major problems that we are facing is the rain, the rain makes it difficult for us to dry the idols and we don’t have any major instruments to dry them. Most of the idols will be transported hence, if it is not dried properly the idols will crack,” said an artist while narrating his idol.

“There is no assistance from the government, the idols get destroyed when it rains, we do not have enough space to cover them all. If they are not dried on time then we can’t paint them,” said an artist while heating the mud to ensure it is ready on time to deliver.

Notably, the West Bengal government provides a certain amount of money to the puja committees every year, however, no assistance is provided to the community of the idol makers who works tirelessly to make the idols of goddess Durga including other deities that bring cheers and add on to the festivity beside having cultural, religious significance.

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