LAHAN, Oct 3: Rambabu Pandit of Lahan hardly gets break from his work during Dashain. In fact, it is the peak season of the year for him. He makes clay idols of gods and goddesses that are high in demand during the festival.
“People address me as someone who makes god. But I only make clay idols of various gods and goddesses,” Pandit laughed, who was busy polishing a Ganesh idol at his own residence in Lahan Municipality – 7 last week. “It is rush time for me. I have lot of pending assignments!” he added.
Pandit has been making clay idols for several years. He remains quite busy during Dashain, Tihar and Holi festival. Though all the idols he makes are praised, he is most famous for making Durga idol that he makes every year for Lahan’s Durga Temple in Lahan.
Even this year, the temple is waiting for the fascinating idol of goddess Durga from him. He started working on the idol three weeks ago.
“Making clay idols is an art. It is very special. It is not everyone’s cup of tea. You need to feel the deity’s grace and be able to transform the devotion inside you for the deity into the clay form,” he said while elaborating about his feelings for his craft.
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The temple is decorated in a grandiose every Dashain. And Pandit has been making the idol for it since last seven years. Idol making is actually his ancestral profession. His father and grandfather also made several kinds of idols.
“It is the legacy they handed over to me. I am very grateful to my ancestors,” said Pandit, adding that he learned more about the art from experts in Calcutta.
“Before going to Calcutta, I only knew the basics. There I got to opportunity to enrich my idol making skills further,” he stated.
During his stay in India, he both polished his art as well as made money by selling clay idols. Every festival is celebrated in grandiose manner and people spend a lot in making it grand in India, he said. Such a trend provides ample opportunities for artists like him, he added.
“I stayed in India for several years in the course of honing my skill. I made good money too, by selling idols,” he said.
Pandit returned to his hometown seven years ago and then he started making idol for the famous Durga temple. Durga Puja that is celebrated during Dashain is his most preferred time of the year. “My wish is to make the Durga idol by my own hands till the last breath of my life,” he said.
Pandit has hired a few junior artists to assist him. But he makes the Durga idol all by himself. He is paid Rs 100,000 by the temple for this job. Had the same idol been for some other purpose, he would charge way more than the amount, he says.
“I don’t involve others while making the Durga idol. I feel satisfied with what they give me for my labor. Or else, for that amount of time and work I would have charge over Rs 400, 000,” said Pandit.
The idol of Durga is showcased at the temple from Saptami till Kojagrat Purnima, the final day of Dashain. It is immersed in river on the last day.
Along with Durga idol, he has made idols of Laxmi, Ganesh, Saraswati, Kartikeya and Parbati, among others. Special quality of mud and colors are required to make such idols.
According to Pandit, giving finishing touch to an idol is the hardest part of the job. “Giving the final touch is very sensitive job. It is more challenging and time consuming,” he said.
In 1989, Pandit had made a Durga idol for Rs 900. He reminisces that those were the golden days. “Rs 900 sounds like a small amount now, but it was of a huge amount back then,” he laughed.
