The happiness and fanfare of the idol artisans on the occasion of the Durga Puja —biggest religious festival of the Hindu community — is likely to fade away this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The idol artisans do not have much workloads to do this time although every year they have to work day and night prior to the festival. They are neither in happy nor festive mood.
Organisers from the local areas are not going to arrange Durga Puja broadly this time keeping in mind the issues of financial crisis and health issues. For this reason, idols of goddess Durga are being made with a limited budget thereby plunging the artisans into deep crisis.
Idol artisans derive most of their income during the eve of Durga Puja. They are worried over their survival in the upcoming days as they have not received sufficient orders for making the idol of Durga. An idol carving cost usually ranges from Tk 15 thousand to Tk 1.5 lakh.
According to the artisans, they used to receive 12 to 13 orders for making the idol but this time the number came down five to six. They are not satisfied with the size of the idols as due to shortage of budget the idols are smaller in size.
Although there are thirteen festivals in twelve months as per the calendar of Hindu community but this time the scenario is different due to corona. The task of making idols generally starts from the mid of the Bengali month Boishakh and the business continues until the month of Kartik. However, this year no such activities took place during this time. The idol artisans have never imagined such an adverse situation.
Amit Paul, an artisan said that this year there will be rituals but no festival. During this time of the year they do not have the space to breathe as they have to remain busy in engraving idols. But this year they have not received much order.
Joy Gopal, an artisan from the old Dhaka of the capital, said that this time they do not have much earning due to coronavirus. He has made only four idols. As they have to depend on their incomes generated during this time of the year, uncertainty remains in the days to come.
Another artisan Ashutosh said usually the task of idol making begins five to six months prior to the Durga Puja. However, this year no such activities took place. He was really frustrated as he was feared of having no order. But in the last two months he received numbers of orders. Ashutosh said that this year he will not have much profit as the cost of raw materials for making idols including clay is very high. Due to curtailed budget of those making the orders, the idols are smaller in size and less in numbers. In consequence, the artisans are in double danger.
Although the biggest festival of the Hindu community takes place during the month of Ashwin but the making of idol commences from Boishakh. In the month of Srabon Monsa Puja takes place followed by Ganesha, Biswakarma, Durga, Laxmi, Kali and Jogodhatri Puja, Raash Purnima and Kartik Puja in the month of Kartik. In the month of Falgun there is Sharaswati puja and in the month of Chaitra there is Bashonti Puja. However, due to coronavirus all the festivals have been halted.
The artisans said that the prices of raw materials for making idols like bamboo, clay, hay have increased a lot. The salaries of the workers have also jacked up. But the income has not increased. Due to Covid-19 there is no profit from the orders. Moreover, they will not make profits this year despite working in 7 to 8 places.
It has been learnt that it takes 15 to 20 days for five to six artisans to make a complete set of the idol Durga.
General Secretary of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad Nirmal Kumar Chattergy said to the Business Post that number of pandals is not decreasing due to corona virus. It is not that number of orders for making the idols is much less. But the artisans will not get much profit this time due to the hike in the prices of raw materials including clay. Besides, the artisans will get reduced wages due to small size of idols compared to other times.
Last year, the worship of goddess Durga took place in 31 thousand and 100 pandals across the country. This year worship will take place in 30 thousand and 213 pandals. Nirmal Kumar said that this year worship of goddess Durga will take place in line with the government declared health safety measures.
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