Durga Puja to be held at 115 mandaps in Muktagachha, clay artists busy with idol making
Clay artists are busy preparing idols for Durga Puja. Photo: Agamir Somoy
Durga Puja will be celebrated at 115 puja mandaps in Muktagachha of Mymensingh this year. Even before the mandaps are illuminated and the sound of drums and gatherings of devotees begin, clay artists have become busy with preparations for the festival. With skilled hands they are gradually turning a handful of clay, straw and bamboo frameworks into idols of Goddess Durga.
The final stages of idol making are now underway at the workshops of various artisans in Muktagachha. Some are cutting bamboo. Some are tying straw while others are applying layers of clay to shape the bodies and faces of the idols. The appearance of the idols is changing little by little every day.
The process of making an idol begins with building a framework with bamboo. Straw is then tied to the framework to create the basic shape of the body. Clay is applied afterward. Once the clay dries another layer is added. The process involves smoothing, measuring and carefully shaping different parts of the body. The face, nose, lips, hands and feet are then crafted with separate attention.
Clay artist Chanchal Pal said that when he first takes the clay in his hands he imagines the final form of the idol in his mind. He plans how the face will be shaped and how the hands and feet will be formed before starting the work.
Every stage of idol making involves the artist's imagination, experience and precise craftsmanship. The artists wait for the clay to dry before applying another layer and spend days correcting even minor imperfections.
Once the shape of the face becomes clear the idol appears to come alive. After the eyes are painted the face of the goddess seems to reach its full form. For clay artists the moment of painting the eyes therefore holds special significance.
Another clay artist Apu Pal said that once the shape of the face is complete and the lines of the eyes and mouth become visible the idol no longer feels like a mere clay structure. Gradually the form of Goddess Durga emerges. The joy of working also increases at that point.
After the bamboo, straw and clay work is completed the idols will be painted. They will then be decorated with ornaments. Finally the eyes will be painted. The clay figure will then take its complete and familiar form as Goddess Durga.
Meanwhile police have also strengthened security preparations to ensure the smooth celebration of Durga Puja. Muktagachha Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kamrul Islam said extensive preparations have been taken to ensure that the festival is celebrated in a peaceful and joyful environment. Beat officers have been supervising the overall situation since the idol making began. Several meetings have already been held with leaders of the puja committees.
As part of the security measures CCTV cameras have been made mandatory at every mandap. Along with Ansar and village police members 13 Honda Mobile units and six striking mobile forces of the police will remain on duty around the clock at the mandaps. The responsibilities of each mandap will be supervised through a three tier security system.
OC Kamrul Islam further said they are hopeful that with everyone's cooperation the puja festival will be completed in a beautiful and festive environment while maintaining Muktagachha's long standing tradition of communal harmony.
With white clouds in the autumn sky, fields covered with kash flowers and the arrival of festive signs in the air preparations for Durga Puja have also begun in Muktagachha. But long before the visible arrangements for the festival begin its first chapter is written in the workshops of clay artists. From bamboo frameworks, straw figures and a handful of clay the idol of Goddess Durga, a symbol of the festival, gradually takes shape.
