Idol Artisans Struggle Ahead of Durga Puja as Costs Surge

With Durga Puja just days away, idol makers in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram are finding it hard to secure the earnings they had hoped for, mainly because of rising expenses for raw materials. Nearly a hundred main artisans, along with 350–400 assistants, are engaged in preparing idols but say the business is no longer as rewarding as it once was.

Over the last two years, the prices of essentials such as clay, bamboo, straw, wood, rope, and paint have gone up significantly, while the selling price of idols has stayed the same. As a result, artisans say profits have shrunk to almost nothing.

Durga Puja will be celebrated from September 28 to October 2, and most idols are nearly finished. In many temples, craftsmen are now busy painting and adding final touches. According to local Puja Udjapan Parishad representatives, about 467 temples in Lalmonirhat and 537 temples in Kurigram are preparing for this year’s festivities.

Nipin Chandra Pal, a 55-year-old artisan from Kurigram, explained that each craftsman manages a small team of four to five assistants, working around the clock to meet deadlines. This year, a Durga idol is being priced between Tk 20,000 and 60,000.

“Earlier, we collected soil freely from riverbanks and fields,” he said. “Now, we have to purchase clay, which raises costs further.”

Another craftsman, Subodh Chandra Pal, 48, pointed out that while the costs of bamboo, rope, and paint have doubled, buyers are unwilling to pay more for idols. “We are forced to sell at the old rates. Profit has disappeared,” he added.

In Lalmonirhat, 35-year-old artisan Pallab Chandra Roy said he is currently making 7–10 idols. “This is our ancestral profession. I don’t know any other trade, so I continue,” he said. “It takes about a week to make a single idol, and we have been working nonstop for two months.”

Another Lalmonirhat artisan, Sribas Chandra Roy, 32, explained that last year he earned Tk 10,000–12,000 per idol in profit. “But this year, it is only survival—no real earnings. Outside the Puja season, there is hardly any work.”

Temple authorities, too, admit to challenges. Binod Chandra Roy, president of Sadhutari Durga temple in Lalmonirhat, said that even though the prices of all ritual items have increased, the idols had to be purchased at unchanged prices.

Hiralal Roy, president of Lalmonirhat District Puja Udjapan Parishad, said they are taking every step to ensure safe celebrations. But he added, “The idol makers live in hardship. Their income is too low to sustain a decent life.”