PEOPLE WHOSE WORKS ARE WORSHIPED

Hindu mythology boasts a rich pantheon of gods and goddesses whose worship is an important element of everyday Hindu life. Clay images of these gods and goddesses are therefore in much demand in all the places where the Hindu faith is practiced.

At Kumartuli (meaning Potters’ township), in Calcutta, there is a community of hereditary clay-modelers, whose works are literally worshipped.

Here, the clay modelers have been concentrating on the fashioning of images of the principal characters in Hindu mythology for the past 200 years or so-almost since the birth of Calcutta. As a result, a high level of artistic excellence has been attained. Interestingly, all the clay-modelers belong to a particular caste, members of which have the surname, Pal (pronounced pahl).

STUDIOS AT KUMARTULI

There are about 200 ‘studios’ at Kumartuli, and most have the dual role of workplace and home. The average studio is merely a ‘fenced-off’ space, whose earthen floor is not even paved. The walls are in reality a fencing of two wooden boards held together with rope, or in some other style. Tin and matting are some of the materials used in constructing the roof. Electric lighting is minimal, and the bulbs are of low wattage. Most of the modelers squat on the floor while at work, and the odd wooden stool or chair is meant for customers and other visitors.

Clay, the principal raw material, is brought by boat down the river Hoogly from Uluberia, a village near Calcutta. This clay is notable for its glutinous property, which is ideal for making images.

DURGA PUJA

During Durga puja (puja means worship), the goddess is the central object of worship, and the festival is of pivotal importance in the life of almost every Bengali.

For Durga Puja, committees are formed in different areas, subscriptions collected and community Pujas organized. A community Puja has a pandal (pavilion) with a large image of the goddess Durga-the larger the community Puja, the larger the size of the image.

Since images of the goddess Durga are required in large sizes for the community Pujas, they earn the highest prices. Therefore, Durga Puja is of prime importance to the ‘studios’ at Kumartuli and they gear their annual working calendar accordingly. Work on images of Durga begins early in April.

Other important festivals are Kali Puja, Lakshmi Puja and Saraswati Puja. Images of the goddess Saraswati are produced in the largest number because Saraswati Puja is a domestic observance, and many Bengali households install images of the goddess.

In modeling an image, a framework has to be made first. This internal support structure is made of pieces of bamboo, dried stalks of paddy, discarded cloth, and even sawdust. Having made the skeleton, it is then fleshed with clay, which is then painted. Furthermore, the goddess Durga, in particular, undergoes considerable beautification, and is dressed in the most extravagantly designed costumes made of the most luxurious fabrics, and bedecked with jewelry.

According to the Old Testament of the Bible, god created man in his image, but Kumartuli’s artists are creating gods and goddesses in the human image.