Crafting devotion: The artisans behind Durga Puja idols

As Durga Puja approaches, artisans are busy creating beautiful idols. Every year, many artisans from West Bengal travel to Delhi to make awe-inspiring idols. They focus on making eco-friendly idols using mud and wood.

Each artisan puts a lot of care into their work.

Bahu Lal, a 55-year-old artist, has been crafting idols for 40 years. He says: “Each idol is a labour of love. It takes me about a month to complete one.”

The most difficult part, he explains, is detailing the face and eyes. This is important because the eyes convey the spirit of the deity. Customers appreciate this attention to detail and see the idols as sacred.

Also Read: Durga Puja: Here’s why Delhi must also celebrate the storied legacy of its Bengali schools

Many buyers come early to place their orders. For them, the spiritual meaning of the idols is more important than the price.

Sumalian Das and Malay travelled from Gurugram to find the perfect idols. They focus on the design of the eyes, the expressions on the faces, and the clothing and jewellery of the idols. “We prefer idols made from mud and wood as they are eco-friendly.”

They visit every year before Dussehra because they believe the best idols are made for the festival.

Shamu, a resident of Vasant Kunj, Delhi, shared, “We come here every year to buy an idol because we find the best quality at an affordable price. Today, we bought an idol for the Ashram, which we had ordered a month ago.”

People from all over the country visit these workshops. The artisans use non-waterproof paints that dissolve in water during immersion. This ensures their creations are eco-friendly and respect nature.

As the festival season approaches, the energy in these workshops becomes palpable. The artisans work tirelessly, giving the final touch to the idols, while devotees line up to select the icon around which they will plan the festivities.

It is a scene of joyous collaboration, where tradition, creativity, and spirituality come together. The vibrant atmosphere reflects the shared cultural heritage that binds artisans and devotees alike.

The celebrations of Dussehra end with Vijayadashami, marked by processions carrying idols to local rivers, lakes, ponds, estuaries, or open coastal beaches for immersion.

The devotion and care that have gone into their creation will be evident. The celebration is not just a visual feast of artistry but a deep, collective expression of faith.

Each idol, painstakingly crafted, carries with it the love, reverence, and dedication of those who made it and those who will worship it. In this way, the festival becomes a living testament to the enduring bond between craftsmanship, community, and spirituality.