Kolkata’s Kumartuli artisans bring Durga Puja idols to life

In Frames | Kumartuli: where clay comes alive

Ahead of Durga Puja, artisans in Kolkata’s Kumartuli are perfecting clay idols of Goddess Durga, Lord Ganesh and other deities before they are taken to puja pandals.

In the city’s famed potters’ quarter, the festival begins to take shape weeks in advance, inside narrow and often cramped workshops where artisans work long hours.

Bundles of straw, bamboo frames and layers of clay form the basic structure of the idols.

With patience and precision, the artisans mould the clay, shape the figures, refine facial features and carefully paint the idols.

The process gradually transforms unfinished forms into elaborate figures of the deities.

A craft shaped by history

Kumartuli’s history dates back nearly 300 years and is closely linked to Krishnanagar in West Bengal’s Nadia district.

Maharaja Krishnachandra of Krishnanagar is credited with popularising idol worship.

The first Durga Puja is believed to have been celebrated there in 1606.

Over time, potters from the area migrated to Kolkata and settled along the Hooghly River.

For many artisan families, idol-making remains a generations-old tradition.

The work therefore carries both the demands of the coming festival and the continuity of a craft associated with the area for generations.

Some workshops continue to follow the traditional shabeki style, while others experiment with contemporary designs.

These newer designs are also developed to meet specific commissions.

From workshop to pandal

The idols made in Kumartuli are commissioned for community pandals as well as household pujas.

They are later carried to puja pandals across Kolkata and beyond.

Some are readied for transport as people gather around to photograph them before they leave the workshops.

The figures will soon grace puja pandals and become part of the festival’s public and devotional spaces.

Durga Puja brings communities together in a celebration of faith while also providing a livelihood for many people.

That connection between worship and work is visible in Kumartuli, where the making of each idol is also part of the economic life surrounding the festival.

The cost of bringing clay to life

Idols made for community pandals and household pujas cost between ₹50,000 and ₹3 lakh, depending on their size.

Eco-friendly colours add to the price and the making charge.

The final figure is therefore shaped not only by the size of an idol but also by the materials and finishing work involved.

The artisans’ work includes construction, clay modelling, detailed facial finishing and painting, with each stage contributing to the completed form.

A changing audience

Kumartuli’s traditionally male-dominated craft has also seen few women break barriers and enter the field.

Their presence marks a change within a practice long associated with artisan families and inherited skills.

As Durga Puja approaches, the narrow lanes fill with bloggers, photographers, social media influencers and tourists documenting the artisans at work.

Visitors take selfies and pose beside unfinished idols of Goddess Durga, while others gather around figures being prepared for transport.

The crowds show how Kumartuli’s age-old craft now intersects with tourism and social media.

For visitors, the workshops offer a glimpse of Durga Puja preparations and the painstaking craftsmanship behind one of Kolkata’s most celebrated festivals.

For the artisans, the work continues in clay, colour and detail until the idols are ready to move from the narrow lanes of Kumartuli to puja pandals and devotees.

Source: The Hindu