My search for more artisans ended with a visit to Gandhinagar, Delhi. It is situated near the Shastri Park metro station. One has to take battery car to reach there. At the side of the road, there it was opposite a mortuary, creation taking place with the destruction. As usual a tent was there, under which thirteen people were giving shape to the idols. The place was unexpectedly big and had many finished and unfinished idols
Bholanath Bera, an artisan working under Aurobindo Das was giving shape to goddesss Durga’s face. A quiet and composed person, he seemed cautious to answer my questions. Here is the brief interaction I had with him.
“Where do you come from?” I asked.
“I am from a district called Kagdeep, near to Sundarbans.
“So what are you preparing?”
“We have taken out the face of Durga ma from the mould. Now I am refining the lines of the faces to give prominent facial expression.”
“Oh! So where do you take training for making idols?”
“I am a hereditary idol maker. Thus my father was an idol maker as well. He taught me the technique of idol making.”
“How long you stay here to make the idols?”
“For four to six month as required by our boss.”
“What do you do the rest of the year for living?”
“For approximately nine month we are making idols. After that I have farm in my village land.”
“How many people are there in your family?”
“We are a small family; only five of us live together.”
“So you are satisfied with the income?”
“Yes, it is enough.”
Contact the idol makers from Gandhi Nagar : 9811309122
