Sudden and sharp showers have caught idol-makers in Kumartuli off guard on Sunday
“Many man-days were lost due to rain in Aug and Sept, when we had to stop work and shift idols to safety. Kolkata: Sudden and sharp showers have caught idol-makers in Kumartuli off guard, forcing them to scramble to protect Durga idols at a time when work has entered its final and most crucial stage, with deliveries to puja committees just days away. This came at a time when the artisans were drying the paint applied on the idols artificially, using pedestal fans and blow torches. But when the weather cleared in the last week of Sept, we resumed work and thought that it might not rain any longer. But the sudden and localised showers have caught us off guard. The latest disruption comes at a particularly difficult stage of idol-making. Most artisans have moved on from the basic clay work and are now painting the idols, adding accessories and completing the finishing touches. They were working longer hours and keeping idols out in the open to speed up the finishing touches. With puja beginning in the second week of Oct, the time for completing the remaining work is passing away.
Though the artisans were able to speed up their work after a brief dry spell recently, they were again compelled to cover their idols amid the sudden downpour on Sunday. The shower on Sunday afternoon was brief but intense, and we had to scurry for cover,” said Kartik Pal, a Kumartuli idol-maker.
But we had to cover our work areas and use blow torches to dry the paint due to the sudden rain,” said China Pal, a woman idol-maker in Kumartuli. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in Kolkata Stay updated with the latest Kolkata news.
“We will keep the area covered as it might rain anytime,” said another artisan. “We have to deliver the idols in the next few days. Puja committees are also keeping artisans on their edge to meet the deadline. Download the TOI App.