Migrant artisans from across the country arrive in Bengaluru during festival seasons such as Ganesha Chaturthi and Durga Puja. Many artisans from Kolkata travel to the City during the Ganesha season and stay on to make idols for the Durga festive season.
Mukul Pal, from Kolkata, belongs to a family of artisans who have been creating Durga idols in the City for more than five decades, a tradition that his grandfather started years ago. Mr. Pal and his family set up their workspace in R.T. Nagar every year. He says, “Every year we come to Bengaluru towards the end of June and begin work for Ganesh Chaturthi and then Durga Puja. This has been a tradition since my grandfather’s days. I have been visiting Bengaluru during this season since I was a child.“
Increasing demand
“Business runs well for us in Bengaluru. The demand for Durga idols have gotten more over the last two decades. We are almost done with the Ganesh idols now and we will soon begin on the Durga idols and get back home to Kolkata before the Durga Puja festivities start,” Mr. Pal adds.
Sanjeev Kumar Mandal, who supplies his artwork to idol dealers near Minerva Circle, is another sculptor and idol decorator from Kolkata, who also believes that Bengaluru yields better income for artisans than their hometowns.
“Our family knows the A-to-Z of idol making, from creating the basic models to painting it, and even decorating it, We do it all from scratch. I have been trained in idol making since I was a child and I have been doing this business in Bengaluru for the last 12 years,“ he says.
“Throughout the year I am busy making Ganesha idols, and once the festivity is over, I head back home. While I’m here working on the Ganesha idols my family begins work on the Durga idols back home in Kolkata. In Kolkata our business runs well only during Durga Puja. However, there are too many artisans and the value for our idols is lesser there. But in Bengaluru, we are paid well, our idols sell out quickly. Even if I work just as a decorator, I make enough income here,“ Mr. Mandal adds.
