Rows of clay idols stand outside the Kali Mata temple in Old Dhaka’s Shankharibazar.
Some have taken shape over bamboo frames, while others remain unfinished, their faces, hands, and feet awaiting the delicate touches that will bring them to life.
Inside the courtyard, artisans work tirelessly – shaping, smoothing, and preparing the figures for decoration.
With Durga Puja approaching, the final preparations leave little distinction between day and night.
The narrow lanes of Shankharibazar and neighbouring Tantibazar are alive with similar activity.
Some artisans refine the shapes of idols, others apply the final layers of clay, while still others prepare paints and ornaments.
The pressure is mounting as craftsmen race to complete their orders before the festival.
For Biplab Das, who has spent nearly two decades crafting idols in Shankharibazar, the days have become particularly demanding.
“The workload is very heavy this year. We have to work day and night to finish the idols on schedule,” he said.
Fellow artisan Anil Das said orders had increased compared with previous years, with customers travelling from areas far beyond the neighbourhood.
“We have much more work this year than before. Orders are coming from other places too. Altogether, the pressure is high,” he said.
Yet more orders have not translated into better earnings.
“Clay and other raw materials have become much more expensive, but our wages have not increased,” Anil said.
“We are receiving the same remuneration as last year. The prices of idols have not risen in proportion to the cost of materials.”
Craftsmanship comes at a cost
Artisans typically craft four to five idols in a season, with prices depending on height, intricate detail, and decoration.
According to Anil, a seven-foot idol costs around Tk70,000 to make, while a five-foot idol costs approximately Tk50,000.
Creating an idol involves several distinct stages, from constructing a sturdy framework of bamboo, straw, wood, and rope to shaping the body with clay and applying the final coats of paint.
The clay is mainly brought from Munshiganj, while bamboo is sourced from Zinjira in Keraniganj.
The craftsmen also sculpt idols of other members of Goddess Durga’s family and their respective animal mounts.
As one artisan explained, a Durga Puja idol arrangement remains incomplete without these accompanying figures, which also lend grandeur to the mandap.
However, rising material and decoration costs are placing severe strain on this age-old craft.
Ornaments grow costlier
Traders selling idol decorations say almost every item has become more expensive this year.
The starting price of decorative crown sets has risen from Tk200 to Tk300, with elaborate designs fetching between Tk5,000 and Tk6,000.
Artificial hair used for idols now sells for Tk250 to Tk260, up from Tk190.
Fabric prices have also climbed: material previously sold at Tk50 a yard now costs Tk60, while fabric that once cost Tk80 has risen to Tk100.
Decorative garlands have become more expensive, with prices increasing from Tk20 to Tk30-35 per strand.
Higher-quality garlands cost up to Tk500-600, depending on design and materials.
The price of a basic crown has climbed from Tk40 to Tk70, while crowns for Lord Ganesh can cost up to Tk350.
Sets of 10 symbolic weapons held in the hands of idols now start at Tk130, compared with Tk80 previously.
Better-quality sets have risen from Tk750 to as much as Tk1,000.
Traders noted that certain grades of these ceremonial weapons are known in the trade as SP and SSP.
Beaded garlands have doubled in price, from Tk400 to Tk800 per kilogramme.
A shopkeeper who requested anonymity attributed the increases to higher wholesale prices and taxes.
“Everything is becoming more expensive. We now have to spend more just to buy the goods, and taxes have increased as well,” the trader said. “It has become difficult to sell these items at the old prices.”
Puja shopping gathers pace
The festival preparations are also drawing steady streams of customers to shops selling traditional conch-shell bangles (shankha), vermilion (sindoor), and other religious essentials.
Dipak Dhar, owner of Dhakeshwari Shankha Shilpalay and Basanalay, said business naturally intensifies as Durga Puja approaches.
Customers travel from across Dhaka to buy essential items, prompting the shop to introduce new, intricate conch-shell bangle designs this year.
For local residents, however, the preparations extend far beyond commerce.
Ajay Dutta, a resident of Shankharibazar, said the area’s Durga Puja celebrations carry a rich heritage that organisers are determined to preserve.
“We are trying to maintain that tradition and the high standard of the arrangements,” he said.
“As the festival draws closer, the festive atmosphere continues to build.”
Twenty-two mandaps planned
Chandan Dey, president of the Tantibazar Puja Committee, confirmed that Durga Puja will be celebrated at 22 mandaps across Shankharibazar and Tantibazar this year.
Organisers are working to ensure the celebrations proceed smoothly.
Several coordination meetings have already been held with local police to review security arrangements.
According to Chandan, plans include installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at every mandap alongside other necessary security protocols.
Back in the courtyards and narrow alleys, the artisans remain absorbed in their craft.
For them, each carefully sculpted face, painted feature, and decorative detail brings another idol closer to completion, and Old Dhaka another step closer to the grand celebrations.
Yet behind the festive colours lies a difficult economic reality: how to sustain a generations-old craft when the cost of creating an idol continues to surge while the rewards for those who shape it remain largely unchanged.
