Kumartuli Sculptors Struggle With Clay Shortage, Rising Costs Ahead of Durga Puja

Sculptors in Kumartuli bemoan shortage of clay, higher costs, intrusive content creators

Sculptors in Kolkata’s Kumartuli are struggling to keep up with Durga idol orders after a shortage of clay disrupted work during the peak festive season. The idol-makers are paying substantially more for good-quality clay, while some say they are falling behind schedule and finding it difficult to make ends meet.

Stopgap supply for Durga Puja

The immediate shortage was partly addressed after sculptors spoke to the local MLA and party members, senior artist Samir Pal said. That intervention helped arrange some clay for Durga Puja, but Mr. Pal described the supply as only a temporary solution.

“After speaking to the local MLA and party members, we were able to arrange some clay for this Durga Puja,” Mr. Pal, a senior member of the Kumartuli Mritsilpa Sanskriti Samiti, told The Hindu.

“But how will we manage during Kali Puja and the other upcoming festivals? This is only a stopgap arrangement,” he said.

Kumartuli’s artists had previously received truckloads of clay in the area and bought it in bulk. This year, however, the supply was stopped in April-May following allegations of clay smuggling. Mr. Pal said the disruption delayed their work by at least two months.

The delay has added pressure during a period when the sculptors are trying to complete idols and meet customer demand. “We are now paying premium prices for the clay to ensure we can deliver the idols on time and keep up with customers’ demand,” another senior Kumartuli artist, Bankim Pal, said.

Artists face sharply higher costs

The clay that artists previously bought for ₹10 per kilo now costs ₹40 per kilo, according to Mr. Bankim Pal. “Will any customer pay the extra price?” he asked, warning that the higher input costs could leave artists with little money despite their role in preparing idols for Kolkata’s festivals.

“We paid ₹40 per kilo for the same clay we used to buy for ₹10 per kilo. Will any customer pay the extra price? This year, it feels like the artists will go back home with empty pockets even though we are the ones who help decorate the pandals and pujas of every festival in Kolkata,” Mr. Bankim Pal said.

The increase is not limited to clay. Senior artists said the cost of accessories used for Durga idols, including jute for the deity’s hair, fabric for clothes, raw materials for jewellery and decorations, has doubled since 2025.

An artist who wished to remain anonymous said the situation had become unsustainable. The artist also said customers bargain over prices even as sculptors face higher expenses and continue to work in difficult conditions.

“This has become unsustainable. Who will pay for the extra costs? Customers come and bargain as if we are stealing from them. If we did steal, do you think we would live in such poor conditions?” the artist said.

Complaints about content creators

The sculptors’ difficulties extend beyond material costs and delayed supplies. They said they are working in narrow workshops while also struggling to store completed idols. At the same time, a large influx of bloggers and influencers has created additional problems in the workshops during the festive season.

Mr. Samir Pal said some visitors demanded that artists pose for photographs, entered workshops without permission and sometimes damaged idols. He also said photographs were taken without the artists’ consent.

“They come and demand that we pose for photos. Sometimes they walk around the workshops without permission or care, and break idols. Who will bear this cost? They also take photos without our consent,” Mr. Samir Pal said.

According to the sculptors, some social media content creators seeking “exclusive” images also entered artists’ homes without consent. They said this intruded into the artists’ personal space and showed a lack of respect for their work.

“They have no respect for the artist, whom they shoot and put up on their social media for ‘likes’ from followers,” an artist said.

Source: The Hindu