Kumortuli. The name of the place in Bengali language means a potter's quarters. But the potters of this place in the last few generations have transcended the traditional boundaries of pottery to become artisans and creators, re-creating Hindu mythology through idols. Their creation is a freeze of the most dramatic moment of a mythological episode or a portrayal of the divinity of Hindu Gods and Goddesses in their traditional form. The explosion of nonchalant creativity that unfolds in front of the eyes of the uninitiated in a visit to this place, particularly in the busy idol-making sessions such as August-October, is mind-boggling. Like several other bloggers, photo-journalists, heritage conservationists and Kolkata-lovers, I am a big fan of this place. My interest in this place ties in very well to my larger interest in Kolkata's history, heritage and people-centric experience which makes this city unique in the milieu of other mega-cities of the world. I hereby devote this blog to the wonderfully talented artisans and craftsmen of Kumortuli area in Kolkata.
Dr. John Holwell was an employee of the English East India Company who was appointed Zamindar (landlord and tax-collector) of the Twentyfour Parganas District of Bengal. He later became a temporary Governor of Bengal (1760) as a successor of Robert Clive and was a survivor of the Black Hole tragedy of Calcutta in June 1756. When the British started building Fort William in 1758, he allotted ‘separate districts to the Company’s workmen.’ These neighborhoods in the heart of the Indian quarters acquired the work-related names – Patuapara (locality of traditional painters) Suriparah (the place of wine sellers), Collotollah (the place of oil men), Chuttarparah (the place of carpenters), Aheeritollah (cowherd’s quarters), Coomartolly (potters’ quarters) and so on. The potters of Kumortuli, who fashioned the clay from the river beside their home into pots to be sold at Sutanuti Bazar (later Burrabazar), managed to survive in the area. Gradually they took to making the images of gods and goddesses, worshipped in large numbers in the mansions all around and later at community pujas in the city and beyond. I found a wonderful research on the history, tradition and its significance and practices of Kumortuli artisans and clay images of West Bengal done by Dr. Jim Robinson (DPhil, Oxford University)over three months at site in: http://www.clayimage.co.uk/
Today's Kumortuli comes accross as the unreserved compartment in an otherwise reservation-based long distance train. The main settlement is along Banamali Sarkar Street in north Kolkata. The western boundary of the place, marked by the river, has remained largely unchanged; while the other peripheries have changed quite dramatically in the last three centuries. The urban sprawl of Kolkata is clearly evident all around the settlement of the 150-odd artisan families. The Kumortuli modernization project, worth Rs.260 million, planned under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, is moving at a slow pace. According to the project blueprint, the urban authority will construct houses for the artisans over five acres of land in the Kumortuli area on the ground-plus-three-floors pattern. It will also build an art gallery for artisans to showcase their artefacts. Currently, some artisans have been relocated to a temporary space in a warehouse. But many artisans are still operating from their decrepit quarters, often spilling in to the streets and living under leaking roofs. They make the idols for a variety of festivals round the year, but Durga Puja in October is the most important event. Kumortuli images are generally ordered well in advance and there a few for off-the-shelf sale. Nowadays, Kumortuli’s clientele has extended to North America, Europe, Africa and even Australia, among the Indian communities living there.
I like to visit the temporary workshop on Rabindra Sarani, since it provides a great view of the works by various artisans under one roof, and it is possible to see the images in various styles, stages of finish and even components. For example, you will find a number of the heads- all looking exactly the same, which are probably cast in moulds and left to dry. It is unique to see semblance of mass production in an otherwise skill-based operation. But about 80 percent of the work is still hand-made by the artisans. Depending on the time you visit, you will either find the artisans either creating the skeleton by typing stacks of hay to a simple bamboo structure; or putting the first layer of clay to resemble the flesh and giving the idol a basic shape, or the clay being shaped for the final form with great care and being blow-dried on some occasions. Closer to the finish time, you will find the idols and their obedient animal follower being draped in fineries and painted with great care. An intriguing ritual of collecting the first clay sample from a prostitute's courtyard is still followed today in spirit. The priest himself is mandated to go for this important aspect of the ritual, and the most auspicious method of collection is to beg it from a prostitute and have her hand it over as a gift or blessing. The fitting finale is the day of Mahalaya, a week before the commencement of the Puja, when traditionally the eyes of the idols are drawn. I have read descriptions of artisans creating the idol of famous family-organized pujas at site meditating for hours in front of the idol with closed eyes and then suddenly with a swift stroke of the brush the third eye of the Goddess is drawn, as if with divine inspiration and the idol comes alive from that moment.
While the budget for the Kolkata Durga Pujas have multiplied manifold, thanks to the zeal of the sponsors to be seen and/or heard to the millions of prospective consumers, the price of the art churned out by the artisans have not gone up in any proportion beyond the normal inflation rate. In other words, the power of market forces which has bankrolled the individual puja organizers with unbelievable amounts of money (sometimes reported as over Rs. 2 million for a single puja organizer from a single sponsor) has not rubbed off its sheen on the economic condition of the artisans. Be it the idol makers, be it the traditional drummers (called Dhaki's- a puja is not worth its name till the sound of this instrument fills the air) or the thousands of craftsmen who painstakingly put together the marvelous structures (called Pandals). They are still mostly piece rate producers. "Darkness under the lamp"- an age-old proverb and still very valid. I cannot help think that in some other societies of the world, these craftsmen would have been the real celebrities of the event, not the fat cat organizers/the Very Improtant Persons who patronize and inaugurate the pujas.
Gobindaram Mitra, one of the famous residents of this area, was one of the earliest Indian officials under the British rule and earned a reputation for his wealth and extravagance. He was a tax collector for the East India Company. He was one of the earliest patrons of Durga Puja in Kolkata, and his celebration was marked with lavishness and extravagance. The entire image of goddess Durga was wrapped in gold and silver leaf. Thirty to fifty maunds (one maund is about 37 kg) of rice was offered to the deity, a thousand Brahmins were fed and given gifts. Mitra had a sprawling house at Kumortuli spread on 50 bighas (around 16 acres) of land. He also built a famous temple known as the Navaratna Temple, which became famous as the Black Pagoda. the Temple had a tower of 165 meter high and served as a navigational aid to the European sailors till it was destroyed in a major storm in 1737. Banamali Sarkar, after whom the main street of Kumortuli area is named, was also a wealthy resident of that area, famous for his palatial house that was the subject of urban folklores.
Last year, I visited when the idols were being finished. My lasting visual from that trip was the Asur (demon) being dried with a blow-torch; and my favorite Himalayan lion (who carries Goddess Durga on his back in her fight with the demons) being draped with pieces of towel, which will be painted to perfection as the animal's skin. My first visit this year was in end-August. I had two visitors in town, new in India and visiting Kolkata for the first time. We visited the workshop when the idols were in their median stage of creation. They could see abundance of semi-finished clay structures and artisans working to finish this stage before they move on to the painting stage. For the un-initiated, it is hard to believe that these creations are done to be destroyed only after four days of worship. I visited a week later and loved the walk during daytime along the streets of Kumortuli and watching the clay being kneaded with rice husk (which gives strength to the clay), potters painting some of the smaller idols and the excited photographer groups (seemed like photography school students) happily clicking away every bit of visual available. I also greatly enjoyed talking to some of the artisans. I plan to go back on the day of the Mahalaya next week, to see the drawing of the eyes on this auspicious day.
Note on how to reach- the nearest railway station to Kumortuli is the Sovabazar Metro. Sovabazar Ferry Ghat (alongside the Hugli river) is also close by. I like to walk down from the Sovabazar Metro Station, take a turn along Rabindra Sarani and enter Banamali Sarkar Street on the left or keep walking straight towards the temporary shed.
Kumortuli is a must-see for any visitor to Kolkata, particularly for the period of August-October. But first, the residents of Kolkata must be more aware of what happens there; how much skill, hard work, devotion and perfection is required to present the majestic idols in front of millions of viewers and worshippers; and what the city has done (or not done) to improve the quality of life for the artisans. Citizens must be proud of the artisans of Kumortuli, and their fellow-artisans in other fields of traditional creativity who work to make the Durga Puja of Kolkata such a memorable event. If we consider Durga Puja a cornerstone of "Bangaliyana" and the sponsors consider the carnival that goes around this so-called religious event as manna for economic blessings, then it is time everyone pays attention to the men who create the magic and nourish the soil which holds the roots of this giant tradition.
