India: Kumortuli idol makers by Puja Bhattacharjee
Work is on in full swing at the Kumortuli potter's quarter in Kolkata for the upcoming festive season. They are making clay idols for the worship of Goddess Durga, the biggest festival of the state of West Bengal. Some of these idols are flown abroad for Bengali communities living there. The artists and craftsmen work inside cramped workshops with various kinds of clay, straw and bamboo sticks to deliver the idol. From August through November, they will be busy making idols for various festivals. The ancillary businesses range from making clothing, jewelry, ornaments and wigs for the idols.
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