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Pujo time -- Conversation with a Durga Protima maker from Bengal

Durga Puja is my favourite festival. I, being half a Bengali, love the atmosphere and the crowd. It feels so surreal being in the midst of all those dressed up people. I am always amazed at how many people manage to make it there because I can only describe that amount of people as an ocean of humanity. They linger about till past midnight but many true Bengalis stay on there through the night.





I live in Chitaranjan Park, the hub of all action at that time. Bengalis from all over the world gather on the first day and on the visarjan when Durga ma goes back into the Ganga. They take clay and straw from the banks of Ganga and build giant durga mathas. When they do the visarjan, all the clay and straw would have returned back to where it came from.

One of the best parts of the Durga Puja are the pandals. Every year they create a better pandal than the previous. Last year my favourite pandal was a straw hut based design; only a colossal version of it. It was as big as a hangar. The people who build these pandals have to be reserved six months in advance and they come from all over West Bengal and Bangladesh. They are paid a lot for this temporary monumental installation. I find it amazing how fast they can make it and how fast they can tear it down. 

Two years ago one of my favourite companions passed away. He used to make the occasion much more memorable but still it is my favourite festival. The pandal makers remind me of ants and how they build their home.  They are so agile; they almost look simian while they are going up and down the bamboo scaffolding tying things up together. 

But the idol makers are more leisurely; they are never in a hurry. They work slowly but steadily and precisely. To knead the clay, they stamp around and dance. I find this very amusing. I even asked to do this once. It was so satisfying to do that. I like chatting up with these guys.




My dad is a true Bengali and is very passionate about all festivals and Pujas. He visits the Pandal Site the day the work starts. But this time I went with my mother who promotes Indian culture in the Western Society. Here is an excerpt from the conversation.

Q. What is your name? Where are you from?

A. My name is Govindonath.  I am from Kolkata.

Q. So you work here and in Kolkata?

A. I have worked in Kolkata, Delhi and other places dotted around here. Sometimes I work there. But normally I work in Delhi.

Q. How long have you been doing this?

A. This is my traditional job and we have been doing it for generations and I have been doing it since I was very small.

Q. What satisfaction do you get from doing this?

A. I like doing this and this is my passion.

Q. Where are the other places that you have worked?

A. I worked in many places for the promotion of Indian culture. Contractors give us orders in other countries mostly in Europe. I have worked in a museum in Nice in France. And my sculpture is permanently displayed there. There was a program of Indian culture and one offer came asking if I could build a Durga Protima. It is made out of clay and is three feet tall. I stayed in France for two months.

Q. How much do you earn in a year?

A. It depends on the order. Some years I make 30 idols and some year 50 and sell them at various prices.

Q. How many years did it take you to master this?

A. Well I just started and I made a half decent structure and got better from that. And I still think I’m getting better. Because every structure I make is better than the last. This skill can be mastered forever. It is just like learning. You can never finish learning.

Q. How do you deal with the stress if something goes wrong?  When I make something in clay and it breaks I get really angry...

A. When it breaks I have to start again. When somebody  breaks it I get really angry.

Q. Where was your biggest project?

A. In Mela ground in CR park. We made it for three months. It was about twelve feet high.

Q. So this is your job? You only make idols?

A. I make models also.

Sargam Dey

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