Hyderabad: The penchant for installation of Durga mandaps for Navratri festival is fast picking up in Hyderabad, as also across the state, with hundreds of artists from Kolkata working day and night to meet the long order list booked for the ensuing festivities.
With increasing work order, which is picking up every year, the artists are of the firm view that the celebrations would, a few years down the line, be on par with the grand Ganesh festival both in terms of magnitude and popularity in the city.
The 65-feet-tall clay idol of Sri Maha Shakti Durga Matha at the mandap in Victory Play Grounds (VPG) will be the major attraction during the Navratri this year. It is said to be the world's biggest Durga idol in the world.
Bengali artists are in great demand to make Durga idols. Hundreds of artists from West Bengal were brought at least four months ahead of the Ganesh festival. They work in workshops at City College, Chaderghat and other places.
Kothakonda Nagesh, a popular idol-maker in the city, got the work order for the 65-foot-tall idol, said that he had engaged over 30 artists from West Bengal to meet the growing demand. All the 50 idols which are in different stages of completion in his workshops were booked 20 days ago.
Nagesh is credited with making the tallest clay idol of Lord Ganesh at Khairatabad in 2020. His tall idol of Lord Ganesh at Vizag fetched him a national award.
Nagesh, known as `matti manishi’, procures `Ganga maati’, which is smooth clay found in the beds of the Hooghly river.
It is widely said that the craft of making Durga idols originated in Kumartuli, which is home for around 150 potter families and hundreds of workshops. Nagesh’s artists use the same smooth quality clay.
Nagesh told Deccan Chronicle that he manages to get other essential items to make eco-friendly Durga idols, including hay, husk natural sutli ropes and water paints. He points out that he is getting good responses for clay idols from residential colonies and youth associations.
