Monday, December 26, 2011

Kumartuli



Driving across the steel Howrah Bridge boasting as being the third longest cantilever bridge in the world, we then went to Kumartuli, meaning “Area of the Potters.” In these narrow alleys were tiny shops where potters churned out the many Durga idols used for the autumn festival. Few were at work, but I did see some in progress, revealing the straw framework of the nearly life-sized statues, then covered with layers of clay. Over ten men carried a headless multi-armed clay figure through the street using a bamboo support system. Along with the requisite chai shops, some stores specialized in decorative elements for Kali and Durga idols. Here you could take your pick amongst decorative metal swords, tin tridents, and even rows of severed heads. 

1 comment:

Pat said...

At first I thought those clay figures were small elephants or else those poor cattle we often saw, crammed into trucks.