Meera and Anod are among the 20 artists who have come from the village of Pratapgarh in Paly district of Rajasthan, and with them, they have brought along their village’s old tradition of making idols and statues to the Valley.
These art practitioners under the leadership of Anod, are staying in a single-story house besides the Manohara River in Lokanthali.
“It’s been 15 years since I started making such images,” says Anod and adds, “I’ve traveled with my group through the vast landscapes of India and we’re now tapping the market here in Kathmandu.”
Anod and his team first arrived in Kathmandu last September. They went to Siliguri in India to escape the bitter winter of Kathmandu and are now back in town to resume their work.
Born and raised in Pratapgarh, Anod worked for five years in Calcutta to learn the technique. After mastering it, he formed his own group of artists and started making a living by practicing the art form.
These artists, however, have a nomadic lifestyle, traveling from one place to another with a few belongings.
“Our village in Rajasthan has no water and that’s why we move around,” says Anod and elaborates, “Our whole village is into the idol-making business. We have 200 acres of land but nothing grows in it. Our ancestors have been doing this for survival for many years and we’re continuing it.”
Anod’s team spent seven years in Kerala at various junctions like Trivendrapuram and Arnakolam. They have also been to Siliguri, Assam, Kanyakumari and various places in Maharashtra. The group consists of kids as small as 11-year-old Mohariya to Lila Devi and Gwarki Devi, who have crossed their twenties.
“We are one of the many groups who are now in Kathmandu,” informs Anod. “Although these idols are just catching the eyes of people here, there are nearly one thousand localities that practice this craft all over India,” estimates the team leader.
Their handiworks have no fixed price. Meera, Anod’s wife who is in charge of repairing the idols, says, “Someone who hasn’t seen these sorts of idols appreciates the art and is willing to pay up to Rs 400, while many bargain to bring down the price to as low as Rs 50.” They usually set the margin at Rs 200 per piece but the price is always subject to change.
A sack of white cement, which is bought locally, approximately costs Rs 350. The varnish and gloss enamels are specially brought from Calcutta.
“The smell of varnish and enamel can cause a beginner some problems but we’re used to it,” says Anod. “No one I know has suffered from any life-threatening diseases until now.”
The group makes 60 to 70 idols each day, seven to 10 from one sack of white cement.
“We pay each individual in the group as per his work,” Anod clarifies. The painters and potters, who mould the cement, earn Rs 100 each per day.
“I especially liked the idol of little Krishna stealing makhan (butter),” shares Swetcha Dhakal, 22, looking at the idols on display. “I bought the idol because it was affordable and attractive,” said she, a student at the Mechi Bahumukhi Campus in Jhapa.
Another customer, Sandesh Neupane, 21, bought a parrot and a window for his house at Rs 350. “We’re
renovating our house in Sallaghari and my contractor suggested I come here,” explained Neupane, who ordered a window.
Apart from regular idols of deities and decorative showpieces, windows are a recent addition to their designs. The artists visit their village now and then to learn new designs.
“None of us in the group is educated and we therefore don’t have other options,” says Meera, as she repairs the head of Goddess Saraswati. “We feel fortunate to be able to replicate the images of gods.” She is positive and concludes, “Both rich and the poor come here for our idols. We’re happy to know that they are worshipped in households.”
The Process
The idol-making process is strenuous and requires meticulous work.
First, a rubber structure is carved in the chosen image and coated with a firming chemical. It is left to dry for an hour and then enclosed in a casket of white cement and coconut barks.
The hollow casket is then filled with freshly prepared white cement dissolved in water. The cement is poured in and out a couple of times before it properly sets on the rubber mould.
After two hours of drying, the three-layer casket of rubber, coconut bark and white cement is opened to reveal the form.
After being dried again, the idol is checked for faults and repaired accordingly. The idol is then dipped in red or pink dye and smoothened out with a brush. Once the dye sets into the idol, it is ready to be painted with enamel.
When the enamel coating is complete, silver and golden colors are used for painting patterns. Another hour in the sun, and the idols are ready to be sold.
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