Prayagraj: As the Durga Puja festivities approach, starting Oct 9, the prominent barwaris of Prayagraj , many of which have a history of over 50 years, are focusing on having eco-friendly idols instead of the traditional plaster of Paris and chemical paints. For this, artisans from West Bengal are making special efforts to make the idols as well as dresses and ornaments using only clay and bamboo. Akash Bhattacharya, an idol-maker based in Tagore Town, said: "Orders have been placed by many prominent barwaris for making huge idols of goddess Durga accompanied by goddess Saraswati, lord Ganesha and Kartikeya along with the demon Mahishasur.
This year the zeal and enthusiasm among the devotees is more, owing to the minimal celebrations for the past two years, but it is good to see that everyone has given special instructions to make the idol 100% eco-friendly." The process of creating these idols begins about four months prior to the festival, using a dough made from dried and filtered clayey soil from the riverbed, mixed with jute, hay, and natural adhesives. In addition to the idols, the artisans are also crafting the attire and jewelry of the deities using clay.
Sachin Keserwani, a member of the century-old Attarsuiya barwari, said: "The idols made for these barwaris will be decorated in a manner that traditional ornaments and beautiful sarees—which are actually clay—will not have to be removed before immersing them. All the ornaments are eco-friendly." The clay ornaments, created using specially designed molds, are said to surpass even artificial jewelry in terms of precision and glamour.
Despite the cost of making these eco-friendly idols being approximately 40% higher compared to those with artificial jewelry, the artisans have managed to create stunning sarees and garments for the idols using jute bags mixed with clay. The intricate details, such as frills, pleats, and decorative borders with floral prints, leave onlookers amazed at the craftsmanship..
