Miltantirtha houses ten Durgas
All the raw materials required for making the idols for Navratri or Durga Puja, except hay and bamboo, are brought from Bengal
Now that everybody has bid adieu to Ganpati Bappa, preparations are in full swing for the next big Hindu festival — Navratri or Durga Puja. Women are already on their last leg of shopping and pandals are being readied, so we all know that the 9-day festival will arrive soon.
While each and every association is getting their Durga idol ready for D-day, the Kali temple at Milantirtha Panvel is getting not just one, two or three, but 10 Durga idols in its premises.
The association gives space to 10 major durga puja clubs to make their idols in their premise. The idols are all made by the same artisan.
Not just associations from Panvel, clubs from all over Navi Mumbai, Koparkhairane, Kharghar, Kalmboli, Kalyan and Mopara (Rasaini) too have their idols created at the temple premises. Rasaraj Pal, an artisan from West Bengal, comes over to New Panvel in July and the work on the idols begin from Rath Yatra day (as per the tradition). Rasaraj brings with him six assistant artisans who help him make these idols. It takes the group 3.5 to 4 months to complete all these idols.
"The best part about these idols is that they are completely eco-friendly, as the basic material used is bamboo, hay and mud. Moreover, the colours used to paint the idols are all water-soluble, naturally made and have no harmful chemicals in them. We at Milantirtha will be hosting our 27th Durga Puja. The theme of the pandal will be a royal palace," said Dipankar Chakraborty, member of Milantirtha, New Panvel.
For Rasaraj, idol-making has been an ancestral occupation and he has been making idols of Goddess Durga and her family in New Panvel for more than a decade now. "It has always been a pleasure working here since people are very creative and value good work," said Rasaraj.
All the raw materials required for making the idols are brought from West Bengal, except for the hay and bamboo required for the frame. Rasaraj said, "We get the clothes for the idols from Kolkata, in addition to the mud used for making the delicate parts such as the face, hands and the feet. This mud is a little different from the one that's used to make the other parts, it's called 'ethel maati' and is slightly lighter in colour and smoother in texture.
"While the ornaments and accessories are brought in from Krishnagad, a small town in West Bengal, the brown rough mud that used for the body, hair and colours (soluble colours) are brought from Nabadweep."
The idols are nearly completion. What remains are the final touches such as carving the eyes, ears, lips, making the finger and toenails, etc.
"It is a very proud and auspicious thing that the idols are made at our premises, since we are blessed with so many Maa Durgas and Saraswatis. This year's Goddess Durga idol for Milantirtha is 22-feet tall and the pandal is 60x80 feet in height and width. Rasaraj has been making all these idols in our premise for more than 10 years now and every association comes on the Mahalaya day to take home the idols to their respective pandals. It is a treat to watch them make these beautiful sculptures step by step," said Arijit Goswami, joint secretary, Milantirtha.
All the raw materials required for making the idols for Navratri or Durga Puja, except hay and bamboo, are brought from Bengal
Now that everybody has bid adieu to Ganpati Bappa, preparations are in full swing for the next big Hindu festival — Navratri or Durga Puja. Women are already on their last leg of shopping and pandals are being readied, so we all know that the 9-day festival will arrive soon.
While each and every association is getting their Durga idol ready for D-day, the Kali temple at Milantirtha Panvel is getting not just one, two or three, but 10 Durga idols in its premises.
The association gives space to 10 major durga puja clubs to make their idols in their premise. The idols are all made by the same artisan.
Not just associations from Panvel, clubs from all over Navi Mumbai, Koparkhairane, Kharghar, Kalmboli, Kalyan and Mopara (Rasaini) too have their idols created at the temple premises. Rasaraj Pal, an artisan from West Bengal, comes over to New Panvel in July and the work on the idols begin from Rath Yatra day (as per the tradition). Rasaraj brings with him six assistant artisans who help him make these idols. It takes the group 3.5 to 4 months to complete all these idols.
"The best part about these idols is that they are completely eco-friendly, as the basic material used is bamboo, hay and mud. Moreover, the colours used to paint the idols are all water-soluble, naturally made and have no harmful chemicals in them. We at Milantirtha will be hosting our 27th Durga Puja. The theme of the pandal will be a royal palace," said Dipankar Chakraborty, member of Milantirtha, New Panvel.
For Rasaraj, idol-making has been an ancestral occupation and he has been making idols of Goddess Durga and her family in New Panvel for more than a decade now. "It has always been a pleasure working here since people are very creative and value good work," said Rasaraj.
All the raw materials required for making the idols are brought from West Bengal, except for the hay and bamboo required for the frame. Rasaraj said, "We get the clothes for the idols from Kolkata, in addition to the mud used for making the delicate parts such as the face, hands and the feet. This mud is a little different from the one that's used to make the other parts, it's called 'ethel maati' and is slightly lighter in colour and smoother in texture.
"While the ornaments and accessories are brought in from Krishnagad, a small town in West Bengal, the brown rough mud that used for the body, hair and colours (soluble colours) are brought from Nabadweep."
The idols are nearly completion. What remains are the final touches such as carving the eyes, ears, lips, making the finger and toenails, etc.
"It is a very proud and auspicious thing that the idols are made at our premises, since we are blessed with so many Maa Durgas and Saraswatis. This year's Goddess Durga idol for Milantirtha is 22-feet tall and the pandal is 60x80 feet in height and width. Rasaraj has been making all these idols in our premise for more than 10 years now and every association comes on the Mahalaya day to take home the idols to their respective pandals. It is a treat to watch them make these beautiful sculptures step by step," said Arijit Goswami, joint secretary, Milantirtha.
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