New Delhi, Oct. 12 -- A not-so-tidy 15-foot-by-4.5-foot shop at 1, Banamali Sarkar Street in Kumartuli, Kolkata's own potters' hub, has been the workplace of 58-year-old artisan Bankim Pal for almost five decades. He remembers coming to this very shop as a child and watching his father work. His patient hands, steady brushstrokes and countless hours of devotion brought clay idols of Goddess Durga to life. Bankim would rush to the shop after school, pick up a paintbrush or a lump of clay and try to give it shape. Half a century later, he still arrives at the tiny workshop every morning, picks up a ball of clay and creates some of the finest miniature Durga idols in Kumartuli and, indeed, in the world. His miniature Durgas, ranging from 18 inches to three feet, have travelled across the globe.
A few feet away from Bankim's shop is Mala Pal's workshop. The narrow alley in Kumartuli is stacked with mostly finished Durgas waiting to be transported to Puja pandals. The already cramped lanes are even harder to walk these days, with Durga Puja around the corner and a steady stream of artisans, photographers and vloggers crowding the potters' colony.
Mala, in a hurry, is giving the finishing touches to a 20-inch sabeki ek chala Durga idol, a traditional idol with a single arched frame. The idol will soon be packed and shipped to Los Angeles, USA. A recipient of several state awards for her craftsmanship, Mala specialises in miniature and 'foldable' Durga idols.
Height doesn't matter
Kumartuli is a labyrinth of narrow lanes and cramped workshops, home to some of Bengal's most gifted artisans who bring the gods and goddesses to life through their craft. From the 80-foot Durga idol created by Mintu Pal for Deshapriya Park Puja in 2015 to idols measuring barely 10 inches, this potters' quarter in north Kolkata is a living museum of artistic talent. While large-scale Durga idols remain in demand for commercial and barowari Puja pandals, there is a growing demand for ek chala miniature Durga idols, ranging from 10 inches to three feet, for bonedi baris, apartment complexes and community Pujas.
In the grand scheme of Durga Puja celebrations, these miniature idols may appear modest in size, but they often play a crucial role. A theme pandal may feature a towering Durga idol, but when the principal idol is too large to be worshipped traditionally, it is often a smaller Durga that becomes the focus of the rituals. "Of course, the theme Pujas are the attractions, but you need to have a small Durga to be worshipped when the main idol is too huge," said Suchandrima Pal, who specialises in chokkhu daan, the sacred ritual of painting the eyes of a Durga idol for the first time. Suchandrima, who learnt the craft from her father, artisan Narayan Chandra Pal, runs her own workshop in Kumartuli and makes miniature idols too.
No small affair
If you thought only large Durga idols demand painstaking labour, consider the challenge of creating a figure that is just 10 or 18 inches tall. Every detail has to be proportionate, every feature precise and every brushstroke measured. Mala, who took over the business in Kumartuli after her father died in 1985, can craft a two- to three-foot Durga idol in five days when there is an urgent order. Under normal circumstances, it takes a week or two. "When I entered this profession in 1985 after my father died, I had to quit school at the age of 14. At that time, Kumartuli was a man's world. We had to face a lot of difficulties to make a living here. Today, there are four to six women artisans, including China Pal, who have challenged this age-old monopoly," said Mala.
Bankim's ancestral family hails from Krishnanagar in Nadia district, a town renowned for its clay dolls. He explains that creating miniature figurines of Durga, Kali, Saraswati and Ganesh requires enormous patience and places considerable strain on the eyes. Bankim is also known for his 'Bal Ganesha' figures and half-bust Durga idols. He once collaborated with the West Bengal government to create miniature half-bust Durga idols, which were used as gifts and displayed at government-run retail outlets.
Going global
The artisans of Kumartuli begin work on Durga idols around Baishakh, or April. Orders from abroad are generally placed months in advance, and idols being shipped overseas are often made of fibreglass. But miniature specialists such as Mala and Bankim continue to work with clay. Their 18- or 22-inch Durga idols are carefully packed into suitcases and sent to devotees across the world. Bankim has been sending his miniature clay Durgas to Saudi Arabia, London, Germany and California for years. "Most of the orders come either over the telephone or online," he said.
Mala, too, has built a large following among the Bengali diaspora in the UK, US and elsewhere. "This year, my idols have gone to Los Angeles, Italy and Chicago," she said.
Handle with care
While small clay Durga figurines can easily fit into suitcases, artisans also make miniature idols in fibreglass, a practical option for Bengali families and communities living abroad. Durable and easy to maintain, fibreglass idols are also packed in bubble wrap, much like their clay counterparts. However, both varieties require careful planning and handling to preserve their craftsmanship and finish. Many Bengalis abroad prefer fibreglass idols as they are easier to clean and store. Clay idols, on the other hand, are more vulnerable to moisture and can crack or break if not stored properly. Whichever material they choose, artisans and devotees need to handle these miniature figures with care to ensure that their delicate detailing remains intact.
Passing the baton
While Bankim continues to toil at his Kumartuli workshop, his only daughter, who is pursuing her Master's degree, has no interest in carrying forward the family tradition. It is a familiar concern among many senior artisans in Kumartuli, whose children are increasingly reluctant to enter the idol-making profession. "If anything happens to me, the shop will shut down. This profession needs devotion apart from talent," said Bankim. He believes the growing popularity of Durga Puja, particularly after UNESCO inscribed the festival on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021, has given the craft greater visibility. Suchandrima has two sons and has encouraged her elder son to learn the craft. But he, too, shows little interest, much like her brother. "I remember rushing back from school to come to my father's workshop and learn the work. But my brother and my son aren't interested in the business," she said.
Mala's only daughter, who is married, occasionally visits her mother's workshop but is not particularly interested in carrying the legacy forward either. Yet Mala has found another way to keep the tradition alive. She runs two art schools in Kolkata and trains nearly 61 students.
"I hope someday my students will take forward the tradition," she said, her eyes lighting up with hope. In the Oscar-winning 1994 film 'The Shawshank Redemption', actor Tim Robbins said, "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things." And that is the greatest gift Goddess Durga brings with her, hope, faith and the quiet promise that better days are always waiting ahead.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.