Monday, February 25, 2008

Idol Making

Generation? Yes, Kumartuli, with a history older than Kolkata’s has seen many generations. Around the middle of the 17th century, potters from Krishnanagar (south Bengal) came to the village called Gobindapore on the banks of River Bhagirathi (today’s Hooghly) seeking a sound livelihood. Their lives centred around clay pots, toys, idols & cooking utensils crafted in clay, by them. But colonisation’s rise evicted them off Gobindapore as the British East India Company demanded the land to build Fort William. Choiceless, the potters migrated to an area near Kolkata and named it Kumartuli (‘Kumar’ means potters and ‘Tuli’ locality). Here, their profession ascended the esteem ladder and idol making became lucrative as a handful Brahmins formed the first ever Durga Puja committee. With chanda (contributions) from the commoners, the first ever committee-arranged Durga Puja in Kolkata was seen in the 1790s (breaking the monopoly of Durga Puja being a domain of the rich). The responsibility of making idols of Gods and Goddesses fell on the artists of Kumartuli. And thus sprang a glorious artistic tradition that became a cultural motif of Bengal.

For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

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