CUTTACK: The rich puja pandals with silver and gold decorations have failed to dampen the spirit of their lesser cousins who continue with artificial backdrops for Goddess Durga in the Millennium City.
Of the total 160 Puja Committees participating in this year’s Durga Puja, only 24 pandals will have silver and gold tableaus while the rest 136 are using ‘Jari Medha’ for their altars.
The ‘Jari Medhas’ are made of silver and gold foils and decorated with artificial stones. For this work, Muslim families have been traditionally involved in preparing the ‘Jari Medha’ for generations.
Around 50 Muslim artisans of Banka Bazar, Odia Bazar, Buxi Bazar and Thoria Sahi are busy in the designing work for the last three months. Beside ‘Jari Medha’, they also prepare and supply crowns, earrings and other sundry decorations for idols of Goddess Durga and her other celestial companions, including demon Mahishasura.
While materials like bamboo, Indian corks etc are collected locally, other ornaments like gold and silver papers, glitters, mirrors, gold wires, beads etc are procured from Kolkata for designing ‘Jari Medha’ and other accessories.
Over the generations it has become a livelihood means for Muslim families who have been supplying these decorative items for other festivals like Ganesh Puja, Kali Puja, Laxmi Puja and Kartikeswar Puja.
Says artisan Sk Babu of Banka Bazar, “My family has been engaged in making ‘Jari Medha’ for the last three generations and learning the art from my father, I have been working for the last 25 years. We have never faced any discrimination and Puja Committee members always behave friendly with us.” Depending upon size and artistic work involved, the tableau ranges between `30,000 to `2 lakh, he added.
The Durga Puja organisers in Cuttack too admire the artistic work and communal harmony behind it. “There is no difference between Hindu and Muslim artists. We are happy that they are participating in our festivals. It’s a contribution to our communal harmony,” said Bhikari Das, Secretary, Cuttack Mahanagar Puja Committee.