The Creation of Devi Durga! Kumartuli Pictures from Avik Chakraborty Photography Journey

The creation of Devi Durga

Making of Godess 

The creation of Devi Durga : As comes the puja comes near, the creation of Devi impacts an important aspect in our life. The smell of mud, the drawing of her eyes, the various forms gives a deep impact on us.
The vital power that deviated from the gods took shape of a divine form, and from there on was accepted as the Mahadevi, a supreme Goddess. She is entirely different from the gods, her immense shakti to produce further powers of her own. When her work is done, she disappears, she is maya or illusion. She is depicted in Hindu mythology as riding on a lion , with her weapons and attacking the buffalo demon Mahisha. The primitive form that is worshiped in the month of Ashwin.
Traditionally, the idols of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh are created in a frame/Chalchitra. However, this has undergone a change and in many places, the different incarnations are in separate frames. The gods and goddess, are adorned in gorgeous ornaments. But, the traditional custom of dressing up the images clay itself and then color applied is also followed in certain places. Durga is known by various names of which one is Dashabhuja or one with ten arms. She carries a weapon in each hand and its signifies the demoloshing the evil power that she got from all the gods accordingly to Hindu mythology.

Kumartuli-A Walk through

Kumartuli-A Walk through, a busy place for idol-makers, their small and narrow workshops, specially during the time of the Durga puja. Over the years, the region has experienced and witnessed changes in the style of the clay idols, their expression and depictions, especially the ones made for Durga puja. Carrying a history within itself, as these represent a special place where the goddess is given a life. The regions parts of Sovabazar and Airitola is busy where artisans who have traditional base as well as they work from various parts of bengal come here to accomplish their earnings through the special artform. As Mahalaya comes near the hurry to complete the idols become intense..among various problems still they manage to work on to put life in the idols through their creation. First a Starw structure, then applying Mud which is specially collected from the banks of river Ganga and applying forms. The form of Durga that gradually came to be accepted and worshipped during the festival is Mahisasurmardini. According to the saying, the first kumbhar was brought over to the region from Krisnanagar in Nadia district of bengal by Raja Nabakrisna Deb to build a Durga idol to worship of devi.