Rajshahi idol makers busy as Durga puja gets near

The Idol makers (Paul) are now passing busy time, making idols of goddess Durga and others who will be worshipped by the devotees in the city as elsewhere in the country as Duga puja nears.  With barely a month left for the largest religious festival of the Hindu community, the Pauls are working round the clock to make sure that the idols are ready in time. Most of such Pauls usually witness a dull time and live in economic hardship despite the fact that they had the art of making idol of goddess cherished over generations with a great passion. They get some works only ahead of large festivals like Durga Puja. The number of orders for making idols is increasing gradually. Yet, it would be difficult for many to run families with what they would earn from their works. Kartik Paul, an idol maker of Alupotti area of the city, who received order for making several idols, said cost of raw materials including earth, rope, straw, bamboo and jute for idol shave highly been increased but their remuneration has remained the same for the last several years. “Now I have very little time to sleep as the idols are to be completed as per work orders. However, our business suffers this season due to increase in sculptors’ charges and high prices of raw materials,” said Kartik. “Five to eight workers need 10-15 days for making a large idol while smaller ones need around two weeks each,” he added. He further informed that about one hundred Paul groups of Rajshahi are now busy making idols for mandops and they have already completed 60 per cent works of making the idols. Swapon Ghosh, a devotee who supervises a puja mandop in Kumarpara area of the city, informed preparations for the upcoming Durga Puja have become costlier due to high price of the raw materials as well as increased charges of idol makers, purohits and dhakis. Tapan Kumar Sen, trustee of Hindu Religion Welfare Trust, informed  Durga puja will be celebrated from October 18 to 22. However; Rajshahi district administration sources said that special security measures will be taken and traffic management would be ensured on this occasion.

 

Rajshahi idol makers busy as Durga puja gets near

The Idol makers (Paul) are now passing busy time, making idols of goddess Durga and others who will be worshipped by the devotees in the city as elsewhere in the country as Duga puja nears. With barely a month left for the largest religious festival of the Hindu community, the Pauls are working round the clock to make sure that the idols are ready in time. Most of such Pauls usually witness a dull time and live in economic hardship despite the fact that they had the art of making idol of goddess cherished over generations with a great passion. They get some works only ahead of large festivals like Durga Puja. The number of orders for making idols is increasing gradually. Yet, it would be difficult for many to run families with what they would earn from their works. Kartik Paul, an idol maker of Alupotti area of the city, who received order for making several idols, said cost of raw materials including earth, rope, straw, bamboo and jute for idol shave highly been increased but their remuneration has remained the same for the last several years. Now I have very little time to sleep as the idols are to be completed as per work orders. However, our business suffers this season due to increase in sculptors charges and high prices of raw materials, said Kartik. Five to eight workers need 10-15 days for making a large idol while smaller ones need around two weeks each, he added. He further informed that about one hundred Paul groups of Rajshahi are now busy making idols for mandops and they have already completed 60 per cent works of making the idols. Swapon Ghosh, a devotee who supervises a puja mandop in Kumarpara area of the city, informed preparations for the upcoming Durga Puja have become costlier due to high price of the raw materials as well as increased charges of idol makers, purohits and dhakis. Tapan Kumar Sen, trustee of Hindu Religion Welfare Trust, informed Durga puja will be celebrated from October 18 to 22. However; Rajshahi district administration sources said that special security measures will be taken and traffic management would be ensured on this occasion.