Ram Babu Pandit, 35, a resident of Lahan-8, is busier than other Kumals. [break]
Nowadays, he is busy giving final touches to the clay idols of Durga, the goddess who is revered during the Dashain festival. Ram Babu has been entrusted to make 17 life-size idols for the Durga Puja celebration. Three members of Ram Babu´s family have been working round the clock to craft the idols.
“We have completed the idols of gods and goddesses but yet to finish their mount (Bahan),” said Ram Babu, who has been making idols of gods and goddesses for the last 10 years.
“Earlier, there were very few people engaged in this profession. But, with the increase in competition, we work under pressure to deliver a fine work of art within the required time,” he said. “People want high quality work but are unwilling to pay the price such work demand," he said. But he is proud of the fact that his family is the first choice when it comes to making the statutes of deities for Dashain festival.
“As a child I used to observe the way idols were made," he said, "That is why it is more like a habit than profession to me,” said Ram Babu, who has received training in idol-making form an institute in Calcutta, India. Making idols for the Durga puja is different compared other festivals.
“On other occasions, we make idols at our house itself and sell them in the market. But, for the Durga puja, we have to observe the place where the life-size idols are to be installed,” Ram Babu informed.
Bamboos, hay, clay, wooden sticks, jute, and rice chaffs, among other articles, are used to make the statues. Once the idols are ready, they are embellished with bright, colorful clothes and painted in different shining colors to depict jewelries.
“Embellishing needs careful attention and lots of time and money,” shared Ram Babu, adding that the whole process of preparing the idols takes at least 25 days.
Durga puja is a huge celebration and many people gather just to see the idols, therefore, the artist himself wants to exhibit his fine artistry before the crowd.
The work of making idols for Dugra puja is an opportunity to advertise your skills before thousands of people who come to pay homage to worship gods and goddesses. “Generally, it costs more than 75 thousand rupees to complete the idols to be installed at one location.
But this time we had to settle for 36 thousand rupees because of the competition among the artists,” Ram Babu added.
Similarly, Ram Babu´s father Bechan Pandit, who has been involved in idol-making since 2045 BS, remembers charging Rs 900 for life-size idols of gods and goddesses during Durga puja celebration in his time. “900 was a huge amount for our work at that time. Now, 36 thousand is considered very small amount for the same work,” Bechan said.
According to Bechan, his forefathers were consummate artists of pottery but he turned toward the idol-making after people stopped using earthen pots as kitchenware.
“We are making satisfactory income from idol-making” said Bechan, who said that their business is not limited to Lahan. “We also get orders from places as far as Saptari and Dhanusha districts,” Bechan informed. “The life-size idols enhance the appeal of Durga puja celebrations. The more attractive the idols the more devotees are drawn to the place of worship,” he concluded.
Dashain fever grips Tarai
The Dashain fever has gripped the people across Tarai, the plain areas of the country.
Right from the day of Ghatasthapana, the first day of Dashain festival, women in Tarai have been fasting and worshipping different forms of Goddess Durga. They fast all day. Their fasting ends only after sun set.
The day-long fasting begins with women taking baths early in the morning. Well before the dawn, women take bath and then head toward nearby temples of Goddess Durga.
In almost all cities, towns and villages of the Tarai, idols of Goddess Durga, flanked by idols of Ganesh and Kumar, have been put on display. Goddess Durga is seen killing the demon Mahisasur, whose death is celebrated on the day of Tika, the most important day of Dahsain festival.
As in any other city of the Tarai, the display of idols of goddess Durga, the demon Mahisasur and other gods has been the center of attraction for people. The locals wake up early in the morning and pay respect to Goddess Durga.
"The people believe that they can overcome all hurdles of their lives by worshipping the goddess," says Kusheshwor Jha, a priest at Lahan´s Durga temple. "This is why they are always respectful to the Goddess."
Celebration of Dashain festival has also been an occasion for the locals to keep their houses and neighborhood clean. In Lahan, sale and consumption of liquor has been completely banned in the vicinity of Durga temples throughout the festival.
Related story
NEA makes profit of Rs 10.67 billion
