Jagadatri Puja in Chandannagar

History of Chandannagar
The French came to Chandannagar for the first time in the year 1673. Duplessis the French commander built a house at taldanga on the northern part of the present Chandannagar after getting permission from Ibrahim Khan the then Nawab of Bengal. In 1688 the French received permission to carry out duty free business in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa from Mughal Emperor Auranzeb on payment of  Rs.4000 per year. French commander Deslandes Laid the foundation of modern Chandannagar. In course of time Chandannagar occupied top most position in trade and commerce among all trade centres of Bengal, even bigger centre of commerce than Calcutta. The First European, Louis Bonnaud who established the indigo plant was an inhabitant of Chandannagar. The famous personalities of Bengal like founder of first cloth mill, Batakrishna Ghosh, Dinanath Chandra who established first medicine manufacturing unit, publisher of wall maps Indrokumar Chottopadhyay were inhabitants of Chandannagar. Indronarayan Chowdhury was the most famous businessman and a very prominent figure in Chandannagar. He constructed the temple of Sri Nandadulal and a rest house in the year 1740. Indranarayan Chowdhury introduced Jagadhatri Puja in Chandannagar.
In 1947, the French Government declared Chandannagar as a free city and on October 1955, Chandannagar completely became a part of India.

Adi Ma

History of Jagadhatri Puja :
Jagadhatri Puja is very popular in Rishra, Chandannagar, Howrah and also in Krishnanagar of Nadia District. The detailed history of Jagadhatri Puja in Bengal is still  unknown. According to historical evidences found so far, Jagadhatri Puja in Howrah district started in ‘Moktarbari’ in 1713. Indranarayan Chowdhury introduced Jagadhatri Puja in Chandannagar around 1750. It is also popularly believed that Maharaja Krishna Chandra started  Jagadhatri Puja in Krishnanagar in 1762. In 1875 Sarada Devi introduced Jagadhatri Puja at Belurmath. Now-a-days Jagadhatri Pujas of  Chandannagar and Krishnanagar are very famous.
Most gorgeous Jagadhatri Pujas of Chandannagar decorated with innovative pandals, spearking lighting and  huge size around 30 to 35 ft height Idol of  Goddess Jagadhatri  attracts lakhs of people’s from Kolkata and adjacent. 

Devi Jagadhatri :
Jagadhatri means who holds the universe and who protects the world from cruel demons.  Devi Jagadhatri is also known as Karindrasuranisudini ((Who killed the elephant demon), Maheswari (the Great Goddess), Shaktacharpriya (the Goddess who loves to be worshipped  according to Shaktism) and Adharabhuta (the Bearer of the World). 
Devi Jagadhatri is a pleasant form of Goddess Durga and symbolizes ‘Sattva Guna’. One of the six major schools of Indian Philosophy is called Sankhya or Samkhya and according to it the three ‘Gunas’ or qualities, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas form the ‘Prakriti’ or ‘universal nature’
Sattva (calmness, purity) – It is symbolized by Goddess Jagadhatri, and is  associated with creation.
Rajas (activity, ‘dim’) – It is symbolized by Goddess Durga, and is  associated with preservation.
Tamas (inertia, dark) – It is symbolized by Goddess Kali, and is associated with destruction for better creation.
According to ‘Tantras’ and ‘Puranas’, Devi Jagadhatri has three eyes and has four arms holding conch, chakra, bow and arrow respectively. Jagadhatri rides on a lion which stands on an elephant. She is dressed with colourful clothes and bright jewels. Another important feather of this idol is its ornamental decorations with sola and beautiful canvas of mats behind the idol. The snakes is her sacred thread. Sri Ramakrishnadev , the great devotee of Makali Said, ‘Jagadhatri awakens in the heart of such person who can control the tenacious elephant called mind.’

My Experiences in Jagadhatri Puja :
In the year 2010, on saptami morning of  Jagadhatri Puja,  I visited Chandannagar. It was my first visit to Chandannagar on the occasion of Jagadhatri Puja. I reached there through Mankunda  by car via Delhi Road. It was two and half hour journey from kolkata. Jagadhatri Puja of Chandannagar is famous for its lighting decorations, but to avoid heavily crowded  Puja pandals at night  I opted for morning visit to Chandannagar. Extremely colourful immersion processions of idol of Jagadhatri all through dasami night  is another spectacular event in Chandannagar .  I visited altogether nineteen to twenty Puja Pandals from 8AM to 5 PM in bright day light . Those were Puja Pandals of Mankundu Sporting Club, Neogibagan, Circusmath, Ambika athletic Club, Gondalpara-satghat, KalupukurGhat, Charmandirtala, Daibokpara, Nonatola, Suryatoran, Chaumatha, Chaulpatty-Adima, Vidhyalonkar, Bagbazar, Phatokgora, Khalishani etc.  Our Puja Parikrama started from Mankunda sporting club in the scorching daylight and finished at Khalishani in twilight. I was charmed by aristocracy of  Idol decoration with Dakersajj in Chaumatha, Chaulpatty-Adima, Vidhyalonkar, Bagbazar, Phatokgora and Khalishani Puja Pandals. It was a unique experience of witnessing an unbelievable craftsmanship  of  Dakersajj.  One common Characteristics I found in every decoration of idol of  goddess Jagadhatri  was the use of  decorative peacock on the  crown and cloths  of goddess Jagadhatri. Unlike lion of goddess Durga, lion of goddess Jagadhatri is decorated with two crowns on the head, one silver plated and another gold plated.

Ornamentation with Peacock

 Lion with Crown

 Puja Pandals of Gondalpara-satghat, Circusmath and KalupukurGhat were three best decorated puja pandals in my views. In Gondalpara-satghat the pandal decoration was very innovative. Cover pages of  Puja magazines of different years were used and they were arranged in a wonderful fashion. The Puja Pandal   of  Circusmath was decotated with  Photographs  of eminent  singers of Bengal like Sachin Dev Burman, Hemanta Mukherjee, Manna Dey, Manabendra Mukherjee, Mrinal Chakroborty, Salil Chowdhury, Sandhya Mukherjee, Gita Dutta, Sabita Chowdhury, Arati Mukherjee, Lata Mangeskar, Asha Bonsle Protima Banerjee  ctc. Under each photograph date of birth of  the singers and one or two lines from their famous songs were depicted . The Puja committee of  Kalupukur Ghat  decorated their pandal  with colourful scenes from puppetry shows of Bengal in a very artistic way.

Gondalpara-satghat

 Pandal decoration of Circusmath

Kalupukur Ghat 

Jagadatri Puja as I have seen 

Durga Puja in famous wealthy families of Kolkata

In every year West Bengal Tourism arrange different tour programmes  during Durja Puja . In the year 2011. I  participated in a  puja package on the outskirts of Kolkata. I shared my experience in my Blog ‘Durga Puja in Hooghly District’.
In the last year I took part along with my sister-in-law in Sanatani-II, afternoon package. Our journey started from Netaji Indoor stadium at 1 P.M. At  the beginning of journey organizers gave every tourist a bag  full of different items like brochure on Durga puja and Rabindranath Tagore, one DVD on ‘Sharodotsav’, and six coasters  in a packet decorated with beautiful pictures on tourists places in West Bengal.   
Durga Puja at Khelat-House . 

The Khelat bari is situated at 47, Pathuriaghata street in north Kolkata. It is a well-maintained and well preserved properly. Today the conditions of most of the old aristocratic houses are very poor. But  condition of Khelatbari is exceptionally  good . This house was built by Khelat Ghosh. He was a clerk of Lord Waren Hestings. Lord Waren Hestings came to this house. Many other personalities of Bengal visited this house. Famous novelist Sri Bhibhutibhushan Bandhopaddaye was a private teacher in this house. Many famous singers and Dancers performed in this house. One can find various photographs of those famous  personalities. Today the members of the family are living in the first floor. In the ground floor office of the Bengal music college is situated. on every year different music conferences are held here.
Traditionally for  last 166 year this family has been celebrating  Durga Puja. Devi Durga is welcomed on the Maha Sasti at Beltala (Bel tree).  Asura is of  greenish colour signifying the colour of flame. On the saptami morning the idol is bathed with juice of twelve fruits and  water of the Ganges. According to custom, Devi Durga is dressed with a Dhakaijamdani sari. In Austhami, symbolic sacrifice is done upon a sugar-cane with sindoor marks. According to custom at the time of Sandhi Puja, cannon is fired. Clay made Nilkanta bird is used at the time of immersion. Customary Bhog, home made sweets are offered to Devi Durga. 

Khelat House

Khelat House

Khelat House

Shovabazar Rajbari :
Shovabazar Rajbari is situated on 33 and 36 Raja Nabakrishna Dev street. This Puja is 257 years old. Raja Navakrishna Dev  introduced this Puja. He was a famous babu at that time. He took Jamindari of Sutanuti from Nabab Sirajoddula and he used to give Rs. 11 lakh tax to Sirajodulla every year. It is believed  that Nabakrishna Dev taught parshi to Navab Shirajodoulla. Raja Nabokrishna Dev introduced this Durga Puja to celebrate the victory of Robert Clive for  winning  battle of Palashi in 1757. Robert Clive arrived at the Puja celebration with buckets of fruits and he donated  Rs/ 101.  Raja Navakrishna Dev was a rich man at that time. He spent Rs/ 10 lakh on the funeral ceremony of his mother.
After return from Chikago, Swami Vivekananda was felicitated by the members of this family in this thakurdalan. One can find that picture at  the entrance of this house. This house has been declared as a Heritage house.
Raja Navakrishna Dev married six time, but he did not get any child. He adopted Gopimohan Dev who was his brother’s son. After seventh marriage Raja Navakrishna Dev got a son. The name of his son was Rajkrishna Dev. The Shovabazar Rajbari organises the puja at two different address on the same street. One puja is  organised  at the house of Gopimohan Dev and another puja at the ancestral house of Rajkrishna Dev. Devi Durga is ornamented with Dakersaj in both houses. In the house of Gopimohan Dev,  Devi’s bahana,  the lion looks more like a horse than a lion.  

Shovabazar Rajbari

Shovabazar Rajbari

Shovabazar Rajbari

Shovabazar Rajbari

Durga Puja at the house of Chatubabu & Latubabu :

‘Ramdulal Nibus’ is situated on 67E, Beadon street, Kolkata. Ashutosh Dev & Promothonath Dev were known as Chatubabu and Latubabu. They were famous among the 19th century aristocratic  families. The reference of Chatubabu and Latubabu found in ‘Jibansmriti’ written by Rabindranath Tagore.  Ramdulal Dev, father of Ashutosh Dev & Promothonath Dev was a merchant. He introduced Durga puja in the year 1770. But this puja was popularized  by his sons in the year 1780. This 243 year old puja is known as Chatubabu-Latubabu’s puja. According to tradition, the Devi’s idol is covered with thin veil and two other idols ‘Jaya’ and ‘Bijoya’ accompany her. ‘Bodhon’ here commences on ‘Pratipad’- the day after Mahalaya. The idol is established at the ‘Mandap’ on saptami (Seventh Day after new moon); On the day of immersion, a nilkantha bird was freed, through this tradition is no longer today. 

Durga Puja at the house of Chatubabu & Latubabu

Durga Puja at the house of Chatubabu & Latubabu

 Duttabari of Thanthania :  
156 year old Thanthania Duttabari is one of the aristocratic houses in Kolkata. Originally they were goldsmith, but today there descendents are involved in different business. It is one of the solvent houses among the present houses of the babus. In the occasion of Durgapuja women of this house wear different types of ornaments. Every married women of this family wear large nose-ring like a bangle. According to tradition newly married bride is worshipped as ‘kumari’. The descendents of this family are  Baishnavs. Here Devi is not in a fighting mood. She sits on the lap of lord Shiva. The corridor of this house is decorated with 108 Bel-leaf. This building is well-maintained. On the occasion of ‘Sandhi puja’ the symbolic sacrifice offered  to Devi Durga with sunned rice, pulses, sugar-cane and coconut. Rituals with Nilkanta bird exist no longer.

Thanthania Duttabari

Thanthania Duttabari

Chandrabari :  
Bharat Chandra of Nadia district settled in Kokkata in 1781. He introduced the puja after marriage of his only daughter . Famous personalities like Subhash Chandra Bose, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Mahatma Gandhi came to this house. After independence Nirmal Chandra , descendent of this family was an active politician at that time. Once this house became an important political centre. Nirmal Chandra Street and Ganesh Chandra avenue are named after these famous personalities Nirmal Chandra and Ganesh Chandra of this house. Famous politician and ex-cabinet minister of Govt. of India  late Protap Chandra Chandra  belonged to this family. Devi Durga here ornamented with ‘Dakersajj’ and installed with backdrop of ‘Ekchala’. Famous architect Srish Chandra  designed this ‘thakurdalan’. Today renter are settled in different portion of this house. Now a days a descendent of Ganesh Chandra live in this house. This house has been declared as a  heritage house. 

Chandrabari

Chandrabari

Rani Rashmoni Bari :
Rani Rashmoni Bari is situated on 13, Rani Rashmoni Road at Janbazar area. Rani Rashmoni was married to Raja Ramchandra.  She was a very charitable woman. Famous babughat was built by Rani Rashmoni. At that time it was known as Rajchandra Ghat. The  famous puja of Rani Rashmoni Bari of central Kolkata  started around 1780 by Padmamoni Dasi , the elder daughter of Rani Rashmoni. The auspicious presence of Paramhansa Ramkrishna in 1864 added extra dignity to the Puja.. Eminent personalities of Bengal Raja Rammohan Ray, Swami Vivekananda, Nejati Subhash Chandra Bose, Iswarchandra Vidyasagar visited this house. Day after Mahalaya Devi Durga is installed on ‘Mandapa’. Kumari puja is performed on Saptami, Austami and Navami. Even today ‘Bhoj’ is cooked with the holy water of the Ganges. From ‘Protipad’ to ‘Dasami’ in every day one idol of Shiva is made and worshipped with Devi Durga and all those idols of Shiva are  immerse with Devi Durga on Dasami. This Durga Puja was included in the list of Sanatani Puja by WBTDC on the request of Satyajit Roy.

Rani Rashmonibari

Rani Rashmonibari

Durga Puja in Hooghly District

Now a days main attractions of Barawari Durga Puja is mainly oriented around theme based pandal decorations and lighting.  Although  religious flavour is hardly found in this type of Barawari  pujas, I still like these pujas. These barowari pujas bring out the creative and innovative excellence of artists associated with these pujas.  Simultaneously I very much like to witness traditional pujas of Belurmath and those organised in houses of rich people and old zamindars,  like Durga Puja of  Mallick Bari, Shova Bazar Rajbari etc.

History of Durgapuja:

If we look back in search of history of Durga Puja in Bengal it is found that the Durga Puja organised in the house of Saborno Chowdhury, the zamindar of Barisha is the oldest Puja in or around Kolkata. In old days common people used to participate in the Pujas in the houses of  rich people and zaminders. The first publicly organised  Durga Puja took place in Guptipara of Hooghly District. Twelve friends (Baro yeer) together organized this Puja. Hence the name Barawari Puja emerged.

Department of Tourism West Bengal:

Like every year in this year (2011) also the West Bengal Tourism arranged different types of  Puja trips. One of them was a visit  to traditional Puja pandals on the outskirts of Kolkata. I was a party to this trip this year. They charged Rs.2000 per head for this trips which included Break-fast, Lunch and evening snacks. Our journey started at 7.30 A.M  from the office of West Bengal Tourism at B.B.D Bag. Two A.C buses  were provided for us. Our journey was mainly restricted within Hooghly Districts.  In addition to the Durga Puja pandals we also visited old terracotta temples of Hooghly District and adjacent Kalna of Burdawan Dstrict.

Brief History of Hooghly:

The District of  Hooghly derived its name from the town Hooghly situated on the west bank of river Hooghly about 40 km. North of Kolkata. Many European powers  like Dutch, Danish, British, French, Belgians and Germans came to Hooghly at different periods. Originally Hooghly was a part of Burdwan District. For administrative conveniences Burdwan District was split  into two parts in 1795. The sourthern parts was named Hooghly. 

Durgapuja of Goswami Family:
Our first stoppage was at the Puja of Goswami Family in Serampore,  Hooghly. The Goswami family was zamindar of serampore. In the 17th century two brothers
Raghuram and Raghavram Goswami came to srerampore  from their home village  of  Patuli. Raghuram got a job in the office of commissariat of the Danish Governor, while Raghavram became an official moneylender to the factory workers of that locality. Gradually this Goswami Family became the zamindar of  that area.
The Durgapuja of this Goswami Family is 300 years old. Here Devi Durga is worshipped in the Thakurdalan right from the day after Mahalaya. The Goswami Family members claim that their Durgapuja is oldest of all the pujas in Bengal. The idol of Goddess Durga along with Lakshmi, Swaraswati, Kartik and Ganesh is placed under the Ekchala. The idol of Devi Durga is decorated with traditional Dakersaaj. Here Kumari puja (A little girl is being worshipped as Goddess  Durga ) is performed on all four days from sashti to  Navami. However the kumari puja of Maha Navami is the most colourful one, though the pomp and show associated with the puja has subsided consiferably today. Around  300 years old Radhagobindo Mandir is situated  adjacent  to  the thakurdalan. Idols of Radha and Krishna are placed here on the marble bedi.

Thakurdalan

Idol of Ma Durga

This girl will be worshiped as kumari.

Idol of  Radha-Gobindo

Durga Pujas of Seoraphuli :
Seoraphuli was a collecting centre for local marketable goods produced in different parts of Hooghly. We came to Seoraphuli by one hour drive from Serampore.
The oldest Durgapuja of Seoraphuli is the 300 years old Durgapuja of Seoraphuli Rajbari.
More than 100 years ago famous jute merchant Surendranath Ghosh started Durga puja in his house. Idol of Devi Durga here is decorated with ‘Dakersajj’. Surendranath was not only a famous Merchant, but he also did  many benevolent  social works in his locality. Many renowned personalities of Bengal including Netaji Subhash ch. Bose came to his house. Seoraphuli Surendranath Vidyaniketan, a famous educational institution of the locality is named after him. 

Durga Puja in Ghoshbari

Group photo of Ghosh family with Netaji  Subhash Chandra Bose

 Devi Sorbomongola:
Devi Sarbomongala was the family goddess (kulodevota) of Zaminders of Seoraphuli.  Idol of  Devi Sorbamongala was excavated on the basis of a swapnadesh  (an order passed in dreams) to a member of that family. It is made of eight metals (ostodhatu). Rani Rashmoni the founder of Devi Kali temple in Dekshineswar came to visit Seoraphuli Sorbomongola temple. Under her instructions the idol of  Devi Kali of  Dakshineswar temple was made in the same pattern as that of Devi Sarbomongola of  Seoraphuli. 

Sarbomongola temple

Devi Sarbomongola

Honsheshwari temple :
Honsheshwari temple is a Hindu temple of Goddess Kali in the town of Bansbaria of  Hooghly District. Bansbaria was one of the main villages of ancient Saptagram, once the main port and commercial complex of that area. Bansbaria presently an industrial town positioned  between Bandel and Tribeni, is 48 km. From Kolkata. Construction works of Honsheshwari temple by Raja Narsingh Deo started in 1801 and it was completed in 1814. Built with a unique blend of  European  architectural style, the main deity is the blue neem-wood idol of  the four armed goddess Honseswari, a manifestation of Goddess Kali. Ma Kali is standing on the blooming lotus under the Kalpobriksha (one can achieve any think from this tree). We offered our anjali to the divine deity. It was a wonderful moment.

Honsheswari temple

Devi Honseshwari

Ananta Vasudeva temple :
Ananta Vasudeva temple is situated beside the Honseswari temple. This temple was built by Raja Rameshwar Dutta in 1694. It is constructed in charchala style and hexagonal in shape. The intricate artworks on the temple’s terracotta walls and on the  pillars depict scenes from Ramayana, Krishnalila and Mahabharata. 

Ananta Basudeva temple

Temple ornamentation

Guptipara :
Our next destination was Guptipara.  Here we were served with our grand lunch. Guptipara is a rural town under Balagarh police station in chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly District. Guptipara has a rich cultural Heritage. In the book ‘Rajtarangini’ by  Kalhan , in ‘Manasa Mongol kabya’ of  Biprodas Pipolai, in ‘Surodhani Kabya’ of  Denobondhu Mitra, and in the famous  ‘Pather Panchali’ of Bibhutibhusan Babdhopadaya we get references of Guptipara. Guptipara is famous for kabiyal  Bhola Mayera. Guptipara derived its name from the famous Baidya Community of that locality  (Surnames of  Baidyas end with Gupta). Guptipara can boast of many renowned Ayurvedic Doctors within baidya community. Many famous ayurvedic   book were written by doctors of Baidya community.
Guptipara is also famous for its Chariot Festival. Guptipara Chariot Festival is the fourth most important chariot festival after Puri (Orissa), Mahesh (Serampore), and Mahishadal (Midnapur).
The 550 years old  temple of Sri Sri Dayamayee in Talipada is also a very  famous spot in Guptipara. Pandit Basudev Sarbobhoumo one of the learned disciples of Srichaitanya Mahaprobhu came here from Nawadip and he introduced Durgapuja here by worshiping the structure of the  idol of  Ma Durga during Rathayatra. Bhupaticharan, one of the descendants of Basudev Sarbobhoumo founded the idol of  Durga made of eight metals. This idol of Devi Durga is known here as ‘Dayamayee Durga’. The ancestral  house ‘Tarkabagish Bati’ ( ‘Tarkabagish’ means a  person who can establish his point of faith by given strong arguments and ‘Bati’ means house)) of Bhupaticharan was renamed by him as ‘Durga Bari’. In every year in the last day of month of ‘Baishak’ (May) a big annual festival takes place  in Durga Bari. On this occasion many devotes come to this house for worshiping Devi Durga. We met  here 19th  descendant of Basu Dev Sorbobhoumo. Photography was strictly prohibited within Durga Bari.  For this I can’t show you any picture of Devi Dayamayee Durga. 
Guptipara is also known for its famous terracotta temples. Brindabon ch. Math was founded by Land lord Bisheswar Roy. It consists of  four temples of post mediaeval period.  Out of these four temples  Brindabon chandraji’s temple and Krishna Chandraji’s temple are ‘ATCHALA’( Eight roofted) while Ramchandraji’s temple (1742-1744) is ‘EKARATNA’ (single pinnacle) temple with superb terracotta ornamentation. The oldest of the group Chaitanya Dev Temple (1696-1706)  is of ‘JORBANGLA’ pattern. 

Brindabonchandra Temple

Kumortuli- Heritage of Bengal

Only few days are left for Durga Puja, the most important festival of State of West Bengal, in India. The preparations for Durga Puja are getting underway everywhere with erection of pandals (Temporary structure made of bamboo and tripols) and their decorations.The artists are busy giving final touches to the idols of Goddess  Durga and her four children Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth), Swaraswati (Goddess of Knowledge and Music), Kartick ( Chief Commander of Army of Heavens) and Ganesh (Symbol of wisdom) . It is my passion to visit Kumortuli before the Puja to see the final stages of making of idols of  Maa (Mother) Durga. I visited Kumortuli six or seven days before Puja and took many photograph of finishing touches on idols of Maa Durga. In these area the lanes are very narrow and shabby. The studios of artisans are in a very distressing condition, Inspite of these they create beautiful idols of Devi Durga every year. 

History of Kumortuli

Kumortuli means Potter’s locality. ‘Kumor’ means Potter and ‘Tuli’ means locality. This area is located in the  northern part  Kolkata (Calcutta) City, very close to the river Bhagirathi.  One of the earliest reference Kumortuli was found in Harry Evan Auguste Cotton’s  (Mr. Cotton’s was a barrister, administrator, Journalist, Historians and writer) book ‘Calcutta Old & New’ and also in the Journal ‘The Bengal Consultations’ ( in an issue of  1707 A.D).

The first Kumors or Potters came from Krishnagar in Nadia District and settled in the Govindapur Village (Central part of present Kolkata) on the banks of the river Bhagirathi. When the East India Company took over the land to build Fort Willam at Govindapore, the inhabitants migrated from there and settle down at Sutanuti (Northern part of Present Kolkata). John Holwell, a East India Company’s agent under instructions from higher authority allotted separate districts to the company’s workmen of different categories and the places were named according to the nature of profession of the inhabitants, like  Suripara (Place of wine-seller’s), Maidaputty (Flour market), Molunga (Place of salt-works), Aheeritollah (Cowherds quarters) and Kumortuli (Potter’s quaters). At that time the aristocratic families of Kolkata used to hire these Potter’s or craft men for decorating their homes with fairies, angels and idols of their ancestors following British traditions.

Some 200 to 250 years back Zaminders  (Land Lords) and rich people residing at Kolkata started organising Durga Puja in their house and for this purpose idols of Maa Durga were constructed  at the ‘Thakurdalan’ (An annexe or separate building used for annual festivals. They are flat-roofed buidlings called Chandi mandap or thakur dalan and are built on a north-south axis so that the images face south when they are installed) of their building complex and the artisans had to stay in the houses of Zaminders for two to three months continuously.

After the partition of Bengal in 1947, many artisans migrated from East Bengal (Now Bangladesh) to set up their studios also at Kumortuli. The potters of West Bengal and East Bengal still maintain their separate identity. The two communities of potters  even have separate umbrella organisations ‘Kumortuli Mritshilpi Sanskriti Samity’ the older one formed by the potters originally  from Krishnanagar and the ‘‘Kumortuli Mritshilpi  Samity’, a late seventies creation of the immigrants from East Bengal.

Nowadays around 200 families live here. They make clay idols for the various festivals. This potter’s town supplies images to about  more than 90 countries worldwide like England, USA, Hungery, Bulgaria, Russia, Australia, Poland etc. Most of Artisan’s surname is ‘Pal’. The most renowned among them are Ramesh Chandra Pal, Mohan Bansi Pal, Rudra Pal, Prodip Rudra Pal, Rakhal Pal, Ganesh Pal, Kartik Pal. Women artisans are also involved in idol making, like Minati Pal, Soma Pal, Kanchi Pal, Champa Rani Pal. These talented artists not only make the idol of God and Goddess, they also make statues of famous personalities  like Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda, Michael Madhusudhan Dutta, Subasha Chandra Bose, Bidhan Chandra Roy, Khan Abdul Gaffar khan etc. With the increase of  prices of raw materials, profit margins are getting narrower. It is of no wonder that the present generation  is not getting much interest in carrying forward such a less remunerative  profession. They are getting educated for better jobs.

Different Ingredients for idol of Durga:
Kumortuli is not just about idol makers of god or goddess. The goddess Ma Durga  has to be armed, dressed and decorated properly before  leaving  for the various pandals. Many families here remain busy with carving works from the pith of ‘Sola’ reed or from silver and gold foil. These are the two predominant media of decoration- the gorgeous ‘Daaker saaj’ and ‘Bangla Sajj. Daaker sajj is made by white sola and silver foil.  While sola reeds grow in ponds and marshy land and are very much indigenous, the foils earlier had to be imported from Germany. The foils used to come by mail, hence the name ‘Daaker Saaj’ (Daak means mail, and Saaj means Decoration). Decorations of idols in  ‘Bangla sajj’ made by white papers, coloured  foils and strings.  The ingredients for the Maa Durga’s  decor come from various corners of the state  and the list is long --- Sola, foil, zari, jute, clay, straw, tin, plates etc. Some articles come as raw materials, while other like her saree, weapons and matted hair or the lion’s mane and skin arrive ready for use. The hair and the mane are both jute products,  and incidentally, they are are  produced by workers belonging to the Muslims community.

Bangla-Sajj

Daaker-Sajj

How the Durga idols are made:
The entire process of making of the idols, starting from the collection of clay to ornamentation is a holy process. The first clay is brought from Prostitute quarter as it is consider to be very holy, and the rest are collected from the banks of a river, preferably the Ganges.
Idols of Maa Durga is made with a core of hay, wrapped around the kathamo with clay and it is dried in the sunlight. Finishing layers of clay are  given with hands by the artisans. Then comes the paint followed by clothes and other decorations.
And important events is ‘Chakku Daan’ (Drawing of the Eyes on the face of the idols). The eyes of idol are painted on Mahalaya (New moon proceeding Durga Puja). On the day of painting of the eyes, the artisans observe fast for the whole day and eat only vegetarian food at the end of the day.

Kumortuli as I have seen