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Apart from the celebrations and festive aura, it is the Durga Idol, which generates the maximum buzz in the Durga Pujas. So much so, that these Durga Idols (and the marquees) become the ultimate crowd puller and several competitions are held to adjudge the best icon. Maa Durga is the epitome of beauty, valiance, and courage. Durga Pooja is the platform where the entire Bengali community gathers together and pays their homage to Devi Durga amidst joy, happiness and gallant celebrations. The making of Durga Idol starts way before autumn (Sharot) comes. Durga is a ten hand goddess, riding the on her royal carrier, Lion. Though she holds weapons in each of her hands, her face portrays immense beauty and motherly instincts.
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The people who make the Durga idol are traditionally known as Pals. Creating the idol is a quite difficult art, which cannot be easily accomplished by all. The idol is generally made of clay, bamboo, straw and several other raw materials like Iron, shola (pith), paper mache, sand etc. As mentioned earlier, the process of creating the Durga idol starts months before the Puja. Several diligent and hard-working artists come together and put in their combined efforts to create this larger than life idol of Devi.
In the first stage, the Durga Murti is created with bamboo and straw, while another group of artist prepare the clay mixture and other decorations. The Pals, the senior most artists, make the face, palms, and feet of Devi. In the second stage, the raw skeleton of the idol (made with bamboo and straw) is mould in clay. This clay mixture is very important. It cannot contain any form of impurities. The face, palms, and feet are made separately, which is attached to the body later on.
The mark of a great artist is made out through the face and the painted expression of Devi. A lot of care and skilled effort goes into its making. On completion, the idol is painted with earthen colors, skin colors and given a fair look. A lot of care is taken while painting the facial expressions and the beautiful eyes. Finally Devi Durga is draped with rich clothes, which is soaked in the purest and finest form of clay (generally taken from the river bed of Ganges). This thin coat of clay is applied to strengthen the joints. The long black curly and wavy hair of Devi is made with jute. After the entire process finishes and the Durga idol is brought in the marquee, the Devi is draped with the finest jewelry and the richest clothes.
This is how the hard working artists bring the entire idol of Devi Durga into life. The magnificence of the Durga idol and its fine artistry is the major crowd puller. This Durga Idol is not a lump of clay and straw hewn together, but an idol, which represents the sentiments of Bengali community and celebration of age-old Hindu Bengali Festival.
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