On a day the BJP called a 12-hour bandh, the artisans in Kumartuli had no time to waste.

Ganesh Chaturthi is only a week and a half away. And Durga Puja is about six weeks from now.

“We can’t afford to lose a day’s work now. Several clay idols have yet to dry up completely. Clay saris have yet to be wrapped around the idols. The labourers know what they need to do and no one is in a holiday mood now,” said Kashinath Pal, an idol-maker in Kumartuli.

The artisans’ hub in north Calcutta has over 500 idol-makers working in small and cramped workshops along narrow lanes. The artisans and the workers hired by them are working round-the-clock to meet deadlines.

The artisans who make traditional Durga idols have fewer hands compared to those who create theme-based idols.

“Most of our workers stayed back on Tuesday so they could start working from 8am on Wednesday. Some workers, who stay in faraway places such as Ranaghat and Krishnagar in Nadia district, couldn’t come today because of the disruptions in
the suburban train services,” said Bankim Paul, an artisan who produces small idols
that are mostly sent to organisers outside Bengal.

Several artisans said the orders for Durga idols are “marginally more” compared with last year. The scale of work has remained the same, so has the number of hands hired.

“The delivery dates are non-negotiable. Some want the idols by mid-September and the majority before Mahalaya (which this year falls on October 2). A 12-hour bandh can’t be an excuse for us to defer the delivery schedule,” said China Pal, Kumartuli’s first female professional idol-maker.

Kumartuli was lucky as bandh supporters, unlike in many other places, did not coerce them into keeping the workshops shut.

Suppliers of straw, bamboo and paints turned up to deliver the items to the idol-makers. Shops selling shola (pith) ornaments for idols remained open and did brisk business.

“Last year, I produced 36 Durga idols. This year I will be delivering over 40. We don’t have time to while away. A bandh by any party means nothing for many like me in Kumartuli,” said Babu Pal, the secretary of Kumartuli Mritshilpi Sanskriti Samity.

“We don’t need to spell out anything to the workers. Those working with the artisans know their roles and how a day’s absence can make things difficult for the employers,” said Monti Pal.