Factories busy making idols ahead of Durga Puja

Artisans of Belgasi village, 15 kilometres from Chatmohar upazila headquarters under the district, are passing busy time to prepare idols ahead of Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Bangali Hindu community.

"There were hundreds of traditional idol factories at the village in 50s of the last century but most of the artisan families left the country before the independence. Now 15 to 20 artisan families here are running idol factories to keep the 200-year-old heritage alive," Shyamol Pal, 77, a senior most artisan of the village, told this correspondent during his visit to the village last week. 

“Artisans usually remain busy to prepare idols from the Bangla months of Ashar to Kartik ahead of Durga Puja,” said Shyamol who is preparing six big and 20 small idols at his household factory ahead of the Durga Puja.

During the rest seven months of the year, the artisans make earthen pots to maintain their family expenditure, he said.

Over 50 artisans were seen passing busy time making bamboo structures and putting clay on them to bring shape of the idols that are dried in the sun.

At least two weeks is needed to complete a big idol and then it is taken for colouring and decoration, artisans said.

It costs Tk 6,000 to 10,000 to complete a big idol at Belgasi village and each idol is sold for Tk 8 to 12 thousand, leaving only a little profit, they said.

Five big idol factories and a few household factories at the village are making several hundred idols of Durga and other gods and goddesses this year, said Amal pal, a leading artisan of the village.

"But river route is the only way to reach the upazila headquarters. Due to poor communication facilities we cannot take our idols to distance places for sale with good profit,” he said.

“Before the Durga Puja we get offer to work in renowned temples for handsome remuneration but we prefer working for our inherited business here at the village," said Parimal Pal, another well-known artisan of the village.

Artisans have demanded government support including soft loan for smooth running of their traditional profession.