Meet Jiban Krishna Pal, an artisan from Bengal, who has been travelling to Chennai every year for the past two decades to make idols of many deities, specially of Maa Durga . As Chennai gears up to celebrate Durga Puja, Pal is working overtime to meet the deadlines.
Pal was 11 when he started moulding clay idols. "Other than the talent you need a lot of patience to make a perfect idol," says Pal who hails from Hooghly, West Bengal. In a brief chat, Pal shares with us the details of idol making and his experience in Chennai.
"I started working with a few puja pandals in Chennai. Initially it was just the Bengali Association in T. Nagar and a few more contracts from some other places and now I get calls from nine different pandals in Chennai every year,” said Pal.
The clay is brought from the banks of the Ganges. “Gangar mati khub porishkar (clay brought from The Ganga is very clean)", he points out.
However, the base of the idol is made using local clay from Chennai.
It’s just not the clay but even the artificial hair, colour and all the accessories needed for decoration. They all come from Kolkata.
People here prefer simple clay made idols, unlike other places where there is a demand for idols made out of costlier materials, Pal said.
Pal, along with two of his workers work till 1 o'clock at night to meet the deadline.
"Making the face is the tricky part. No matter how tired you are while doing the Goddess's face you have to bring in the perfect blend of kindness and anger."
