12/10/2021
As the nation prepares for the , here is a sneak peek into the making of
is a traditional potters’ colony in northern Kolkata (kumor meaning potter and tuli refers to easily walkable localities within a quarter or half a mile). The potters treat these colonies as their place of living as well as workspace.
But how did this neighbourhood come to exist? To find the answer, one has to go back some 300 years to Krishnanagar, a small city in Nadia district of West Bengal, renowned for its clay-modelling industry. The clay modellers of Krishnanagar are said to be descendants of immigrants from Dhaka, Bangladesh. During Maharaja Krishnachandra’s rule in Nadia, the practice of idol worship grew, which in turn called for potters and craftsmen from Dhaka. These clay modellers came to Krishnanagar and started living around a place called Ghurni.
The idols are made from straw and bamboo. The clay is dug from the holy river Hooghly. The entire creation process, from the collection of clay to the ornamentation, is governed by Hindu rites and traditions. When the sculpting is complete and the clay has dried, the effigies are brilliantly painted, dressed, and decorated. The idols are then assembled and rushed off to the Pandals, which are festival sites, scattered around the city, and the puja then begins in earnest.
