Recently I visited Kolkata and as told by blogger friends that it's best time to visit Kumartuli in the city. We spend half a day walking around the streets of Kumartuli and it's not only about Idol making, but much more than that. Localities of Kumartuli share a lot about Kolkata and it's cultural inclinations. This Photo Journey shares some of the photograph's clicked by TravellingCamera. Kumartuli is derived from Coomar-toli and now every Indian can make out the meaning. This place is residence of all artists who make Durga puja idols, which are used in different pandals of Kolkata and outside India.If you plan to visit Kumartuli and do photography, please ensure that you buy the ticket from committee office. A ticket costs 50 rs and then you can freely roam around. I found it a good practice. This way, committee also makes some money and as a photographer you are not scared that people would say weird things to you. I have had bad experiences shooting in old delhi and sort of scared clicking photographs in streets. Kumartuli photography is becoming popular and many of the great photographs have created masterpieces in the streets of Kumartuli.All the streets of Kumartuli are full of workshops where Durga Puja idols are made. Different families own these workshops and almost all of them have different styles of making these idols. At a basic level, all these idols look similar except sizes. But when they start doing minor changes for final finishing, one can make out the clear difference.There are different stages to the whole process making Durga Puja Idols. On Akshaya Tritiya, clay for the sculptures is collected from the banks of Ganges. A handful of soil (punya mati) is collected from the nishiddho pallis of Calcutta, where sex workers live and adding it to the clay mixture which goes into the making of the Durga sculpture.After the required rites, the clay is transported. An important event is 'Chakkhu Daan', literally donation of the eyes. Starting with Devi Durga, the eyes of the sculptures are painted on Mahalaya or the first day of the pujas. Before painting on the eyes, the artisans fast for a day and eat only vegetarian food.Kumartuli history is very interesting. When East India Company decided to build new settlement Fort William at the site of the Gobindapur village, many existing population shifted to Sutanuti. Neighbourhoods like Jorasanko and Pathuriaghata became the centres of the local rich. Separate districts were allotted to the Company's workmen - Suriparah for wine sellers, Collotollah for folks dealing in oil, Chuttarparah became carpenters hub, Aheeritollah - cowherd's quarters and Coomartolly  for potters. Now potters of Kumortuli make gods and goddesses, worshipped in large numbers in the mansions all around and later at community durga pujas in Kolkata and outside the country.Streets of Kumartuli are most busy from the month of August till October, although artists start getting orders in April. Most of the artists of Kumartuli are busy throughout the year and they get orders from different parts of the worlds.When I talked to one of the artists of Kumartuli, he told us some interesting facts about Durga Puja and it's preparations. It seems that different streets of Kolkata have different pandal for Durga puja and a contest is run in whole city. Best Durga-Puja Pandals are given prizes and local media remains focussed on these activities.Not very sure, but it seems that artists of Kumartuli don't earn much. Like many other businesses in India, middle men earn One of the artist mentioned that some of the artists visit them during different stages of idol making and ensure that idols are made as per their choice. Such clients know well about this form of art and have valid comments most of the times. We could some of the such clients who were there to ensure that things are working fine or to suggest changes.It was a brilliant experiences to walk through the streets of Kumartuli. At every 5 steps, you see a new workshop working on different kinds of Durga idols. And these streets tell you much more about Kolkata and not only about the idol making process.While walking thought the streets of Kumartuli, we were wondering about the state of these Artists. It seemed that most of these artists dwell in poor living conditions. There are some popular families in KUmartuli who have been doing this for many years. Popular among them are Mohan Banshi Rudra Pal, his sons Sanatan Rudra Pal and Pradip Rudra Pal, Rakhal Pal, Ganesh Pal, Aloke Sen, Kartik Pal, Kena Pal, who are still reigning figures of Kumortuli. The good part is that most of the major clients come to these families who better know the art of idol creation.Women are not lagging behind. Kumortuli boasts of the presence of some 30+ women artisans, like Minati Pal, Soma Pal, Kanchi Pal and Chapa Rani Pal. They have been in the business of idol making for a long time. For more, check out this link. Some of the workshops were working on few project but huge in scale. Their style and details were also unique. Check out the photograph above and the one shared below. Look at the the details in these photographs.Have a closer look at this photograph and garland. This garland is made up of hundreds of art-pieces you see in the photograph below.Most of these artists have to work late-night during August-Oct. Some of these artists get lot of orders and they need to work extra to accomplish them with good quality.Some friends from Kumartuli :) . One of them was following us after we clicked this photograph. She used to stop as we look back.When main structures are in shape, heads, fingers and other detailed pieces are added.Some of the workshops had already started the coloring process, which is one of the final steps of idol making process.
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