The First ever Complete Documentary On:
'How to make Durga Idol-Kolkata Kumartuli Special'
The historical quarter of Kumartuli (or Kumortuli) in Kolkata is famous for its clay statues and idols makers. Straw and bamboo are used as the statue skeleton, and unique clay is prepared by the artisans to create the beautiful lively figures.Some workshops produce more lasting statues from fiberglass, and others create festivals and stage scenery elements from materials such as Styrofoam. Roaming around the alleys and watching the craftsmen is highly inspiring.
If you've marveled over the intricate beauty of the idols of Goddess Durga during the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata, you've no doubt wondered how they're made. It's actually possible to see the idols being handcrafted. Where? Kumartuli Potter's Town in north Kolkata.
The settlement of Kumartuli, meaning "potter locality" (Kumar = potter. Tuli = locality), is over 300 years old. It was formed by a bunch of potters who came to the area in search of a better livelihood. Nowadays, around 150 families live there, earning a living by sculpting idols for the various festivals.
In the lead up to Durga Puja, thousands of artisans (many who are hired from other areas) toil diligently in about 550 workshops to complete the statues of Durga and her four children (Ganesh, Lakshmi, Kartikeya, and Saraswati) in time for the festival. What's pleasing to note is that the idols are made out of environmentally friendly materials such as bamboo and clay. This differs from the idols of Lord Ganesh, which are predominantly made out of Plaster of Paris for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, particularly in Mumbai.
Most of the clay is brought by boat down the Hooghly River from a nearby village. What's particularly interesting is the ritual tradition of obtaining soil from a brothel and mixing it with the clay. It's considered to be punya maati (blessed soil) collected from a nishiddho palli (forbidden territory). Apparently, according to one belief, when a man visits a brothel he leaves his purity outside and it settles into the soil there. Others say that the soil is used to respect the purity of the prostitutes' souls, despite the profession they are engaged in.
Srishtirupena Sangsthita | A Kumartuli Cinematic Documentary | Pujo 2020 | History Of Kumortuli
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