As Durga Puja approaches, the vibrant and eco-friendly idols crafted by skilled artisans are ready to grace the festivities. Scheduled to commence on September 8th, Durga Puja is not just a religious event for the Bengali community; it’s a celebration of Bengal’s rich cultural heritage, creativity, and craftsmanship.

For the artisans migrating from West Bengal, Navi Mumbai has become a temporary home since July, where they have been diligently crafting Durga idols. With nearly 90% of their work completed, they are now focused on the finishing touches before delivering the idols to various Durga Puja associations.

However, the rising prices of raw materials have significantly impacted the overall cost of these idols. Despite these challenges, the idol makers have chosen not to increase the prices for their customers in order to maintain the strong bond between producers and the community.

“The daily wages of trained artisans have increased tremendously; we cannot compromise on the quality of craftsmanship,” explained Shibnath Pal, a veteran idol maker based in Vashi. He noted that the alluvial soil from the Ganga basin, essential for creating traditional Bengal-style Durga idols, has doubled in price. Coupled with transportation costs, this has added a substantial financial burden. “Despite these hikes, we haven’t raised the prices of the idols, leading to a steady decline in our profit margins,” he added.

Many idol makers, including Dipankar Pal and Rasaraj Pal, have opted to relocate to other states due to these economic pressures, leaving Mumbai behind.

Shibnath Pal and his team are well-known for their exceptional Durga idols and cater to several prominent Puja celebrations throughout Mumbai. This year, 50 artisans from Kumartuli, the birthplace of idol-making in Kolkata have set up workshops across various locations, including Sakinaka, Nalasopara, Bhayandar, Thakur Village, and Navi Mumbai.

Carrying on the legacy established by his father, Nibaran Chandra Pal, who introduced idol-making culture to Mumbai in the early 1970s, Shibnath and his brothers continue to uphold this tradition. This year, they are crafting a towering 16-foot Durga idol for the Bandra Linking Road Puja, along with grand idols for the Koperkhairane, Kharghar, and Assam Bhavan Vashi pujas at their Navi Mumbai workshop.