The outbreak of Covid-19 has, among other things, cast a cloud on the fate of hundreds of clay idol artisans in Kumartuli, whose main source of income comes from the Durga idols that are showcased by every major club in the city during the five-day long Dushehra festival. But this time, in the midst of a pandemic and doctors warning of a third wave hitting soon, the livelihood of these artisans are sorrounded by uncertainties.
Owing to the anticipation of a third wave of the virus, there is likely to be a blanket ban on large gatherings or pandal hopping. And if that were to happen, most of the large clubs would shy away from going for grand celebrations. According to sources, already numerous clubs have cancelled their advance bookings. So overall, the picture seems pretty bleak for the community of Kumartuli artisans.
However, there is still a silver lining to the dark clouds. While the domestic market for idols might have shrunk by a considerable margin, orders are coming in from abroad. Bengali expat groups from countries such as the USA, UK and a handful of other European countries are organizing pujas in their respective countries in the light of improving situations in those countries.
Artisan Kaushik Ghosh’s idols are flying out to South Africa, the USA, and Australia. Basudeb Pal is exporting his idols to Germany and Tokyo. The idols which are sent overseas are generally made from fiberglass and weigh around 200-250 kg. They are wrapped very carefully in bubble sheets and put in wooden boxes. Before being packed, the sculptors take great care to sanitize the whole idol.
Usually, idols meant for export are created and shipped off in the month of April-May, because of the pressure of home demand. But this time, there is no such compulsion to be felt, so artisans are taking their time. This is probably the only chance they would get to rake in some income since the demand was very less even during the Saraswati puja this year.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here.
Comments
0 comment