Kolkata Idol Makers and Heavy Rain

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Rain logs out Kolkata, Kumartoli idol makers panic

http://indiaenews.com/2006-09/23280-logs-kolkata-

kumartoli-idol-makers-panic.htm

 

Friday, September 22nd, 2006

India Press Release Distribution

 

Kolkata - Incessant rain since Wednesday flooded vast areas

of Kolkata, crippling life even as the skilled Kumartoli idol

makers began to panic with the rains melting the clay idols

of goddess Durga meant for delivery by Friday.

 

The run-up to the Durga Puja festivity Sep 29-Oct 2 has

been marred by heavy rains in Kolkata and parts of south

Bengal.

 

Bengalis woke up Friday to the impassioned chanting of

Mahalaya hymns and songs on radio even as the rain gods

pounded the city outside.

 

Mahalaya, the auspicious occasion observed seven days

prior to the start of Durga Puja, heralds the advent of the

goddess with an invocation to her to descend on earth and is

an occasion of joy.

 

But for the Kumartoli artisans, the idol makers' ghetto in

north Kolkata by the Ganges, the day was this year greeted

with sadness.

 

'We have not been able to deliver the idols. Generally many

community pujas take delivery of the idols on Mahalaya

day, but this time the rains upset everything,' said well-

known idol maker Mintu Pal.

 

'Worse, the idols are melting due to the rains. We have to

rework parts of the idols. The final touches could not be

given yet,' said Pal.

 

Thousands of community puja organisers in Kolkata are in

troubled waters too with the rains spoiling all their plans to

decorate their marquees and delaying the completion of the

huge tents, some of which boast of the finest works of

craftsmanship and creativity.

 

Meanwhile, the weather office has no good news to predict

for the next day.

 

Already people had to wade through waist deep waters in

some areas. Train services were also affected and many

long-distance trains leaving Howrah got delayed. The tracks

are under water in many places.

 

The death toll in the rains and storms in south Bengal was

officially put at 19 Friday.

 

At least 15 people died and thousands were rendered

homeless in a severe storm that hit parts of South 24

Parganas and East Midnapore districts on Wednesday night.