Experiments in Life: September 2006

The Making of Durga

Durgapuja - The most auspicious occasion for Bengalies..
The Making of Godess Durga Most of the images worshipped in different Puja pandals of Calcutta are actually modelled in Kumartuli, near Sovabazar in Kolkata

Durga puja, the festival of Bengal is one of the most important festivals of Bangalis.

Kumartuli is bristling with activity as scupltors are trying hard to meet their deadline as the days of the Durga puja draw near. Situated in north Kolkata, Kumartali boasts of being the chief centre where organisers of both big and small community pujas come to order Durga images according to their preferred choice

Clay idols of Bengal are famous for the skilled and traditional way in which they are made.

Bengal specializes in preserving the age old tradition of making clay idols. Such unmatched skills come in the limelight during the festive occasion of Durga Puja. Three months before the Puja clay artisans start to breathe in life in the images of Durga.

Making of Durga idols is a lengthy and a back breaking process. This is done diligently and methodically by the artisans to create the most exquisite pieces of artistry.

Generally, the idol of Durga is flanked by the Pratima (idols) of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh, all of whom are believed to be her children. The goddess sits atop a lion, which is her vahan. The favourite tableau is of her stabbing Asura, the demon. It is symbolic of the victory that she had achieved for the gods over the demons.

The clay artisans labor hard for months to produce some of the most beautiful images of Goddess Durga at the festival time

Lots of Indian artist works on idol of the Hindu goddess Durga at Kumartoli, the artist's village in Kolkata. Kumartoli is buzzing as the hundreds of artists who live and work there are busily preparing idols of Durga ahead of the Durga Puja festival set to take place in September last week

You wil find various looks of Maa Durga during DURGA PUJA in kolkata pandals and all these various looks is produce from the Kumartoli.

This is pre final stage of Pratinas... where they apply plaster of paris and pink or yellow colors.

The Kumartuli View

Most of the images worshipped in different Puja pandals of Calcutta are actually modelled in Kumartuli,near Sovabazar in Calcutta. Kumartuli has been the nerve centre of image making for more than a century.

MA DURGA FACE

Hourse face

Asking for help

Big foot -- of Mahishasur

Mahishasur

Fist of Durga

Ass face

Hand of Durga

Eye of ass

Lion face

Lion face - II

Nature @ it best !!

Paint me yellow

Drops of water

Red & Yellow

Cloudy sky

Paint me yellow again

Pink cloud

After rain

Wet flowers

Kite in sky

Perfact nature

BIG tree

Shantiniketan

Some days before we (myself & Manu) paid a visit to a wonderful & fully loaded with cultured place called Shantiniketan.
Shantiniketan is a famous university town in West Bengal.... Its around 200 km from Kolkata and is well connected by train, bus and taxis... I don't know much history of this city... anyways.. Come, have a look @ this town and University...

Open air classroom

One of my friend told me : Rabindranath was always dissatisfied with the traditional educational system. He had nurtured in himself for a long time a scheme for a system that would be oriented towards both the spiritual and practical life. To achieve this scheme he started a different type of school.. Open air school... where the class been taken in OPEN AIR..

A unique concept

I think they more believe in natural growth through open classroom rather then traditional close classroom.

Tree

Coconut's trees

Water Flow

The idea of promoting art and culture in every sphere of life is also reflected in the environment of Shantiniketan

Sculpture class @ Shantiniketan

Sitting in the ashram of Kala Bhavan & "Sangeet Bhavan" one can feel the creative energies flowing around and the deep and sincere interest of the students and teachers mingling in the interactions. Shantiniketan remains among the foremost institutions for creative art.
When we enter this Sangeet Bhavan, we were amazed to those beautiful sculpture.

Sitting man