The ungodly conditions artisans face

Durga puja, the biggest Bengali festival is just round the corner. It is a time to cheer and be happy. However, the scene is not that rosy for the makers of the idols of gods and goddesses in Kumartuli, who would be worshipped to seek blessings and happiness. They stand as a hopeless lot.

A visit to a little less than a square kilometer backyard of Shovabazar in North Kolkata just a few days before the puja would tell any visitor that everything is not hunky-dory with the idol makers here. The earthen idol makers are grappling with problems like excessive rain, malaria and a stagnant market.

As a result of light to heavy rains daily, at least hundred idols of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik not ready though the festival is about to begin. 

“We have big fans at work to dry the idols, but rain have to stop,’’ said Sreedam Pal, one of the studio owners at Kumartuli. “I already let go several orders because of lack of space, workers and to top it now we have rains,’’ he said.

Though he correctly portrayed the grim financial implications the 17-century old potters’ colony might face, he did not give a correct insight into why there’s lack of workers. It has much to do with the conditions the workers have to slog to make those idols- which range from 5 feet to 12 feet.

“The studio proprietors do not pay us enough money with which we could hire a decent place to live till the work is on. We have to like live in rain-soaked dingy places with the wet idols. We do not even have fans,’’ said Gobindo Pal, joint president of Kumartuli Mritshilpy Karigor Samity. “There are several case of malaria forcing workers to return to their villages,’’ he said.

“But you should also blame the fact that our sale isn’t increasing. Fifty years back, we had only 100 artisans, but now we have over 1,000,’’ said G Pal, a studio owner.

“Kumartuli has also ceased to be one of the main suppliers of idols even in Kolkata, let alone nearby ones,’’ said Tapan Pal, another senior artist.

“We earn about Rs3 to Rs4 lakh with which we have to care of artists, purchasing special earth, ornaments, et al. Hence, our profit margins dwindle,’’ said an owner on the condition of anonymity.

Another reason for financial loss is the fact that Puja organisers are less inclined to pay more for good idols. Instead they spend more on non-Puja affairs, said Nishit Pal who owns 211-year-old studio.