Cuttack artisans get busy after lull of 2 years
CUTTACK: Artisans of Cuttack city are busy cleaning and polishing silver backdrops and making gold jewellery to be used in Durga Puja pandals this year. The jewellery has been lying unused for the last couple of years when the celebrations were muted due to the pandemic.
Pradeep Prusty (44), a filigree artisan of Alisha Bazaar is polishing a backdrop and also making new silver ornaments for Chhatra Bazaar Puja Committee. “We have been receiving back-to-back orders since July as 27 puja committees in the city have decided to install ‘chandi medha’.
They have sought cleaning and polishing of the ornaments which have been lying unused for the last two years due to restrictions imposed on the height of idols,” said Prusty. After cleaning of silver backdrops for Kathagada Sahi and Dargha Bazar puja committees, Prusty has now received orders for silver ornaments like crowns, necklaces, bracelets, etc from Chhatra Bazaar Puja Committee.
Usually, the silver backdrops require cleaning and polishing every two to three years and it takes at least 15 days for five artisans to polish a single piece. Initially, sulphuric acid and chemicals like ‘sura’ and ‘suhaga’ are used and then the backdrops are polished with ‘ritha phal’, a kind of fruit.
“We are getting Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 for cleaning and polishing silver backdrops and ornaments. With a few days to go for the festival, I have engaged four silver filigree artisans whom I pay Rs 400 to Rs 500 daily based on their performance,” said Prusty.
Like Prusty, several other filigree artisans have engaged extra manpower (filigree artisans) on a daily wage basis for the timely completion and delivery of orders.