Just as Maa Durga descends to earth with her family in autumn, 72-year-old Kishori Mohan Pal flocks to Chennai with a team of 11 members — three sons, grandsons, cousin brothers, and staff, heralding the grandeur and timelessness of Durga Puja to Madras mosaic.
Every year, Kishori, a fifth-generation artist from a family of idol makers in Diamond Harbour, and his dedicated team, arrive in Chennai in June or July. For the next three to four months, they work tirelessly in a dimly lit workshop at Thakkar Baba Vidyalaya in T. Nagar. Apart from the hay, ropes, and nails, they transport all the necessary raw materials from Kolkata – including the alluvial clayey soil from the banks of the Ganges, Durga's sari, hair, jewellery, wood, bamboo, paint and the intricate ‘kathamo’ (framework) of the idol. This year, these materials, which cost approximately Rs 4 lakh, were sourced from Kumartuli and Ultadanga in Kolkata and transported.
Kishori's family specialises in creating a wide range of idols — from Ganesh, Vishwakarma, Durga, Lakshmi, Kali, Kartik, and Jagadhatri to Sherawali Mata, all of varying size — three to 15-feet tall. The artisans return to Kolkata on the day of Kali Puja and again make a brief return around January to craft Saraswati idols.
Kishori Mohan Pal – the anchor of family
Kishori Mohan Pal at work
Kishori has been sculpting idols since his teenage years. Having learned the craft from his father, he ventured to Delhi and subsequently to Chennai in 1982. “I started this business in 1983 with Madras Kalibari and five other idols,” Kishori recalled with a touch of nostalgia. “I have always loved travelling. Even today, I find it difficult to stay at home.”
Over the decades, what began as a small endeavour, has blossomed into a thriving enterprise. From the oldest Chennai puja at The Bengal Association to the grandest celebration at Besant Nagar, Kishori’s artistry graces some of the iconic venues in Chennai, such as Madras Kalibari, Ramakrishna Mission, and also its outskirts like Neyveli, Puducherry, Avadi Airforce, Vellore, Kalpakkam, Bharathi Nagar and Sriperumbudur. Was this success predestined? Or, fate coupled with faith? “We knew the number of Durga Puja pandals in Chennai would increase. Our prediction was right,” said his youngest son Rinku Pal.
Rinku Pal paints the eyes on the idol — ‘chokkhu daan’
Thakkar Baba Vidyalaya was not Kishori’s initial workshop. Previously, he worked at the Bihar Association, but the peaceful ambience of the school grounds provided him with an ideal environment for making idols, an advantage that he didn’t find in Kolkata.
“The city is free from all the chaos, disputes and mess,” said both Kishori and Rinku, expressing a strong preference for Chennai as a workplace over Kolkata. Referring to the recent rape and murder case in Kolkata, Rinku said, “It’s disheartening to hear such things about my own city.” Kishori echoes Rinku's sentiments, describing how they can work late into the night without any disruptions from local residents. Be it the lack of “dirty politics” or the strictness of the police, “Those who have relocated to Chennai never return to Kolkata,” Kishori observed.
The legacy continues
Deben Pal at the workshop
While Kishori has been the first of the Pals to set up a thriving business in Chennai, Rinku, 36, is currently managing the business by with the help of his elder brothers — Deben Pal, 40, and Tinku Pal, 38. Although Rinku was “always keen to study and wanted to have a job,” joblessness after class XII led him to Chennai in 2006. “I used to work at a factory in Falta for two years. But upon its shutdown, I came here to assist my father and learnt all the intricacies of idol-making from him,” Rinku recalled.
Tinku Pal at work
Rinku’s sincerity paid off, as he earned more fame than his brothers. “People in Chennai are familiar with my name in idol-making,” he said with pride.
Kishori is more than glad to pass on the tradition to his sons. While the ritual of Chokkhu Daan (‘offering eyes’ to Maa Durga) is usually performed by the senior artist, his youngest son now performs the ritual. “From clay kneading, and painting to everything, my main goal was to learn idol-making… having years of experience, now my father only supervises the entire process. He’s ageing, I don’t want him to work now.”
The pursuit of happiness
Their workshop fails to provide them homely comforts — working, cooking, eating and sleeping in the godown for three months, the 11-member team faces various challenges
Years of being in the family business have undoubtedly yielded some rewards. While Kishori once struggled to afford uniforms and bags for his children, his grandson, now in the 10th standard, has purchased “four sets of new clothes” and “boots worth Rs. 2,000” for this Durga Puja. With profits ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh, Kishori's family is financially stable.
However, their workshop fails to provide them homely comforts. Working, cooking, eating, and sleeping in the godown for three months, the 11-member team faces challenges in adjusting to their surroundings. Even though there’s difficulty in sleeping and eating their beloved non-vegetarian food, he admits saying that they “are in difficulty.” Pointing to a few ceiling and stand fans, Rinku said after completing the final touches to a blue Kali idol, “There will always be difficulties at workplaces... Should a man share his miseries with others? His wife shouldn't even know that.”
Kishori echoed this sentiment, stating, “We should learn to adapt to our environment. Without adaptation, success is never achieved. I always advise this to young people.”
‘Thread of affection’
Kishori Mohan Pal, despite his success, remains hesitant to expand his business elsewhere
Kishori Mohan Pal's journey to Chennai was serendipitous, leading him to build a loyal client base over 42 years. Yet, despite this success, he remains hesitant to expand his business elsewhere. “My sons have grown up, and their paths are set,” he explains. “I’m not working to earn more, but rather be an invisible thread of affection for my sons.”
While the workshop may lack physical comforts, the city has become this family’s second home, a place where they keep coming back to give shape to their clayey pursuit.
