Crafted in Bengal, worshipped worldwide

The sky is overcast. The clouds, dark and gloomy, almost resemble the somber mood of a teenager rejected in love. It can pour any time soon, my photojournalist warns me. The roads have been freshly washed by rain and the distinct smell of clay fills the air. The whiff leads us to Mintu Pal’s studio in Kumartuli, the potter’s colony in dingy north Kolkata. Inside, you feel the rush. More than four artisans are making clay fingers and other parts of Goddess Durga, which are then assembled to form complete figures. Their fingers work like magic, recreating even the slightest corners of the nail. In another corner, Pal is giving his finishing touches to a six-foot fiberglass idol, destined for Malaysia. With the chalchitra, the circular canvas of paintings behind the idol, it stands around 8.5 feet. For overseas shipments, the master at work has to keep the idol’s size in mind. “Custom requirements,” he tells us. Last year, he sent a 10-foot fiberglass Durga to Spain, with the idol itself being seven feet. He generally keeps the maximum size between 8 and 8.5 feet for foreign shores. A well-known clay modeller, Pal has sent 24 idols abroad this year. In fact, during the Covid-19 pandemic, he became one of the first artisans from Kumartuli to send a fiberglass Durga to Germany and New Jersey.

Durga Puja is no longer just a religious festival. It’s a mega carnival, a celebration of culture, legacy, history, faith and creativity. It’s also a celebration of the artisans of Kumartuli, a 300-year-old cramped colony in north Kolkata that comes alive before Durga Puja. For just five days of celebration, Bengal transforms into a hub of artistry and craftsmanship. Walking through Kumartuli is like stepping into an open-air art gallery. And now, these magicians of Kumartuli are known across the world. From 17-inch miniature Durgas to 100-foot sculptures, Kumartuli artisans create wonders that the world celebrates and worships. With each passing year, orders from abroad have only grown. While Pal readies the idol for Malaysia, two more, destined for Thailand and Portugal, are already boxed.

“I have already sent idols to the USA, Canada, France, Dubai, Switzerland, Poland, Sweden and Australia this year,” said Pal, who created the 88-foot-tall Durga idol for Deshapriya Park puja pandal in Kolkata in 2015. Most overseas orders, he explains, are completed by June, as it takes two to three months for idols to reach their destinations.

The global demand for handcrafted Durga idols in sabeki saaj (traditional look) has increased, prompting artisans to export well in advance. Take Kaushik Ghosh, another renowned Kumartuli modeller, who mainly crafts idols for overseas Puja committees. For the past 70 years, Ghosh’s family has been in the profession. Fifty-six years ago, his father began sending handcrafted idols abroad. Today, Ghosh continues that legacy, his idols travelling far and wide.

This year, one of Ghosh’s idols reached Russia. Last year, the Russia-Ukraine war prevented the committee there from ordering. In total, Ghosh has shipped 37 Durga idols overseas this year. “Four years ago, I sent one to Russia, and this year too, another has gone,” he says. Lightweight fiberglass idols are especially popular among NRI Bengalis during Durga Puja. “This year, I have sent idols to the USA, Germany, Italy, Canada, Zambia, Japan, Nairobi, Australia and Ireland, to name a few.” Ghosh was also one of the first artisans to send a Durga idol to Australia during the Covid-19 outbreak.

According to a member of the Kumartuli Mritshilpi Samity, more than 300 Durga idols and her progeny have been shipped abroad this year, surpassing the 2024 tally by 60. Potters credit the UNESCO heritage tag, post-pandemic enthusiasm, and the renewed preference for the traditional sabeki look as the main reasons.

Most artisans whose idols travel internationally begin receiving orders, mostly through online bookings, from November and December. By January and February, transportation begins. In fact, Ghosh’s idols for Puja 2026 in the USA and Australia are already booked. His Kali idols are equally popular among NRI Bengalis. In 2022, his five-foot-tall fibre idol of Goddess Kali made its way to the British Museum.

In another studio in the colony, we find famed idol maker Bankim Pal busy draping the laal par, the traditional red-and-white Bengali saree, on his freshly painted 17-inch Durga. Bankim, who first picked up a brush at the tender age of six or seven in 1975, has sent his miniature idols to London, California and Dubai. He recalls how, before Covid-19, demand for such miniatures surged. “My Durgas have travelled to London, Germany, Saudi Arabia, California, Canada, Hong Kong and Dubai in suitcases. Whenever NRI Bengalis come, they place an order. While returning, I ensure the idols fit neatly in their luggage. Bubble-wrapped and cushioned with hay, they travel without hassle,” he smiles. Unlike Pal and Ghosh, who mostly export fiberglass idols, Bankim continues to work with clay.

Pal also highlights how orders have multiplied from Muslim countries in recent times, a trend which didn’t exist a few years ago. “In the last five years, I’ve noticed how Muslim countries are celebrating Durga Puja. In 2024, my handcrafted clay Durga went to Sharjah. This year too, one has travelled to Dubai, carefully packed in wooden boxes, he says”. Pal himself travelled to Dubai and Singapore during Puja. If properly maintained, a fiberglass Durga can last up to 10 years. NRI Bengalis who visit Kolkata often purchase fresh attire and jewellery for the Goddess.

As Kumartuli’s artisans continue to nurture their creative spirit and honour traditions passed down generations, it is worth remembering to acknowledge them year-round, not only during Durga Puja. From the narrow lanes of Kumartuli to homes and pandals across the globe, the magic of Durga comes alive through these magicians. Their artistry is Bengal’s gift to the world. Crafting a Durga idol requires a year of creativity and hard toil. So the next time you admire one, pause and ask yourself, who is the magician behind it?

Puja Beyond Borders

Durga idols crafted in Kumartuli now travel across the world. From the USA, UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, Zambia, Japan, Nairobi, Australia, Ireland, Russia, Thailand, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, France to Poland, NRI Bengalis place their orders online, often a year in advance. Most of the idols shipped abroad are made of fiberglass, though clay ones still make their way overseas too. Packed with care, bubble-wrapped and boxed, artisans have to keep in mind not just the material but also the maximum height allowed by customs. The overseas shipments usually begin in January and continue till June or July. Miniature Durga idols are also a big hit among Bengali communities abroad. And it isn’t just Durga. Kumartuli artisans also send idols of Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganesh around the globe.