Following Ganesh Chaturthi, the city is preparing for another grand celebration. The idols of Maa Durga are all set to reach their respective pandals, while the artists who create them work day and night to ensure that people can celebrate the festival with fervour. A great deal of effort goes into making these idols, from designing their features to choosing colours and adding intricate details. At Nagole, in one corner of the city, artisans are giving shape to colourful idols of Maa Durga. CE takes a look at the process, from applying Plaster of Paris (POP) to painting every detail of the idols. While some are made using POP, others are crafted from mud and clay. The vibrant designs are fascinating to watch, and many buyers visiting the workshops choose idols based on their colours, designs and current trends.
VinaRajaram, an artist working at Rahul Karkhana, says, “I am from Maharashtra. I have been working here since 2002. After the Ganesh idols, the Durga Maa idols have been done. I made around 400 idols this year. We have idols ranging from 5 ft to around 12 ft. We have designs like Surya Kiran, Rudrama Devi, Shivaji Maharaj, Shanker ji and so on. All these are made of POP.” T Shiva, the owner of Rahul Karkhana, explains how a team of artisans works together to bring the idols to life. “I have around 200 workers/artists. Each one works differently: one works on the paint, one works on the eyes, the kundan design is done by another artist, and then the stand is made by someone else. So, everything is done by our workers. At Nagole Metro Station, we have our workstation, and all the idols are made here.”
He also points to the challenges faced by the artisans this year. “This time, the demand for these idols is very low. Everyone is making idols, and people think the sales will also be good, but due to a lack of rain and other major concerns, the idols are not being sold as they were in previous years. We use watercolours to paint these idols. Each saree is coloured differently, and the borders, eyes and all the other details used to beautify the idol are done by the artists.” Although the artisans are concerned about the decline in demand, the spirit of Navratri continues to build across the city as devotees prepare to celebrate the nine days with faith and fervour.