KOLKATA: Achinta Basak has been waiting for the rains to stop. He just finished painting a small idol of Goddess Durga, but the sudden downpours are messing up his plans. At Kumartuli, the age-old potters’ hub in North Kolkata, the early arrival of Durga Puja this year has made things tougher. With only about three months left, most artisans are also spending extra just to shield their half-done idols from the rain.
Walk through the muddy lanes of Kumartuli and you’ll spot idols huddled under makeshift tarpaulin sheds. Some workshops even have pedestal fans running to cool and dry the clay figures. “We use kerosene and gas to dry the idols,” said Basak, who’s been making idols here for 40 years. “Kerosene mostly powers the blow torches. The constant rain is a headache, but we’ve got work to finish.”
At Mintu Pal’s studio, known for sending fibreglass idols abroad every year, pedestal fans are also a common sight. Many of his overseas orders are already shipped and now his team is racing against time to finish the idols meant for Kolkata’s pandals. “Rain and shortage of workers… that’s nothing new for us,” Mintu said. “Lots of artisans head out of the city before Puja to take up work elsewhere, which leaves us short-staffed and spending more. And with Puja arriving early, the rains are adding to the pressure. But we’re used to it,” said the popular artisan.
Many artisans are now using tarpaulin sheets distributed by local TMC MLA Shashi Panja to keep their idols safe. “For the rest of the city, there are 90 days left for Puja. But for us, it’s more like 60 to 70 days,” said an artisan from Sankar Kumar Pal’s workshop.
“Once Rath Yatra is over, we’ll have to start working double shifts to get everything done in time.”