Female artisan from Kumartuli inspires future idol makers

KOLKATA: At a time of predominance of mobile and the internet when children scarcely find interest in the art of idol making, a female artisan from Kumartuli is doing her bit in churning out future idol makers.

Mala Pal’s school which imparts lessons to the children on the art of moulding clay into idols of gods and goddesses began its journey five years back with only two students from a dingy claustrophobic room at Banamali Sarkar Street now has 50 learners. The gradual increase of students in her school has compelled her to shift her school to a larger room on Rabindra Sarani adjacent to the artisan hub at Kumartuli.

The budding idol makers come from all strata of the society and in recent times some learners are coming from adjacent districts too. They belong to the age group of 5 to 17-18 years. Classes are held three days a week- Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 3 pm to 4.30 pm. The young minds are mentored by Pal herself, who carefully watches over their specific skill sets and provides them with all the tools necessary to advance their craft.

“Making idols involves a lot of skills and hard toil but it does not receive its desired respect. Worshipping of idols is an intrinsic part of our culture and it will continue to be so. So I feel it is our duty to inculcate this art to the next generation so that they can carry the legacy forward. My school is a small step towards that direction, “ Mala said.

Some of the learners who come from nearby places visit Pal’s own workshop at Banamali Sarkar Street whenever they get the time and watch her churn out bigger-sized idols.

“Some of them pick up quickly while some take a long time but I try my best to ensure that they learn through fun and do not lose interest by any means,“ she added. Mala is assisted by her elder brother Gobinda Pal and her husband Bhanu Rudra Pal.

Students from this school have won numerous state-level competitions and received a lot of recognition from various organisations.