Kumartuli is seeing a sharp rise in orders for traditional ek-chala and old-style Durga idols this season, while demand for theme-based idols has fallen, according to the Kumartuli clay artists’ association and individual sculptors. The shift comes as artisans manage a late-season rush after an earlier shortage of clay and continuing disruption caused by rain.
Orders for ek-chala idols have crossed 2,000 this year, compared with 1,800 last year, the report said. Demand for traditional-style idols has risen from about 4,500 orders last year to 5,200 this season. In contrast, theme-based idol orders have remained limited, with only 25 reported across Kumartuli.
Association officials said the pattern was visible across the neighbourhood. Babu Pal, an office-bearer of the Kumartuli clay artists’ association, said artisans make idols according to the orders they receive and that this year there had been little interest in theme-based idols.
Individual artists reported a similar change in their order books. Sculptor Raja Pal said he had received orders for four theme-based idols last year but none this year. He is making seven traditional-style idols and 10 ek-chala idols this season. Samara Pal said she had received orders for seven ek-chala idols, including five for household पूजा arrangements and two for community-organised pujas.
Chaina Pal also said she had not received an order for a theme-based idol, while orders for traditional-style and ek-chala idols had remained strong. The figures indicate that the shift is not limited to one artist’s workshop but is being experienced by several makers in the city’s recognised idol-making cluster.
The season was also affected by access to clay. Most artisans in the neighbourhood said they faced a serious shortage of clay at one stage, leading several makers to hesitate before accepting orders at the beginning of the season. Once the clay-related difficulty was resolved, orders began to come in, leaving artists heavily occupied as the festival approached.
Rain has added another production constraint. Artisans said repeated showers were disrupting the idol-making process at a time when the remaining work has to be completed before the puja. The combination of delayed orders, the earlier clay shortage and wet weather has compressed production into the final phase of the season.
For Kumartuli’s artisans, the current order pattern has direct implications for workshop scheduling and material planning. Traditional idols and ek-chala forms require production capacity to be allocated well in advance, while the late resolution of the clay shortage has left artists completing a large volume of work under difficult weather conditions. The association and individual sculptors have not indicated any further change to the reported order figures.
