Artisans in Varanasi are giving the final touches to the colorful idols of Goddess Durga that shall be installed in pandals across the city during the upcoming Durga Puja.
The craftsmen, many of whom have been in the business for decades, take pride in using only eco-friendly materials such as natural colors and clay sourced from the banks of the Ganges to craft these sacred representations of the goddess.
Nirmal Das, a sculptor with over 50 years of experience, said, "Our idol shop has been in operation for 50 years. We use mud from the riverbanks of the Ganga. These are the main materials we use to craft the idols. All the colors are natural, prepared from clay obtained from the mine. I have made 20 idols so far."
Despite the excitement around the festivities, artisans in the city are witnessing lower sales this year compared to previous years.
Rahul Pal, another idol maker, noted, "We have been working for the past five months, but the orders for idols have decreased this year compared to last year. We have made only 20 idols so far. the orders are much lower than before."
This year, the five-day Durga Puja celebrations will begin on September 28 and conclude on October 2.