In Maa Durga, Soma gives form to power

Soma Behera is the only girl from the Kumbhar community to take up the job of crafting the idols of Goddess Durga at puja pandals.

This year, Soma is making idols at four community puja pandals. (Photo | Shamim Qureshy)

CUTTACK: At Shilpi Kumbhar Sahi in Cuttack, Soma Behera holds a unique identity. She is the only girl from the Kumbhar community to take up the job of crafting the idols of Goddess Durga at puja pandals. This year, she is not only crafting the Goddess’ idols in just Bhubaneswar, but also in Nimapara and Choudwar. She has been doing so for the last two decades.

With no male sibling and being the fifth among her seven sisters, Soma decided to take charge of her 73-year-old father Abhimanyu Behera’s hereditary vocation to sustain her family.

“My father was into making idols for Durga Puja pandals in Cuttack and we have been observing him work since childhood. I was in Class VII when I first started learning work from him. I was 12-year-old then,” recalled the craftswoman who is now 30.

Soma began assisting her father after school hours and eventually, the pull towards the craft was such that she gave up school after a few years and began accompanying her father to pandals for the work.

This year, Soma is making idols at four community puja pandals. She is sculpting idols of Goddess Durga at Palasuni in Bhubaneswar, Ram Mandir in Kantilo, Balakati-Banamalipur in Nimapara and an idol of Hara-Parvati in Choudwar.

Crafting the face of Goddess Durga, eyes particularly, is the most difficult part of the job, she admits.(Photo | Shamim Qureshy)

“Every year, I get at least four orders to sculpt the idols of Goddess Durga and Hara-Parvati during the Durga Puja. And that leaves me with little time to take up work at more pandals,” she said.

Crafting the face of Goddess Durga, eyes particularly, is the most difficult part of the job, she admits. “The most difficult part is shaping the eyes of Maa Durga. Because, if Her eyes and the expression on Her face is not right, there is no charm left. That is why I paint them with utmost care and devotion while looking at the Goddess through a woman’s perspective,” Soma said.

Apart from Durga Puja, she makes idols during Bhalukuni Puja and Ganesh Puja at pandals. Even after the festive season, Soma remains busy in making smaller idols and decorative clay items.

For every idol she makes, she charges anywhere between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000.