The incessant shower has not only thrown festival market out of gear but also adversely affected Durga Puja preparations in Tripura’s capital Agartala.
Published : 22 Sep 2014, 02:28 PM
The artisans in the city are worried as idol-making has been delayed while taking extra effort to complete their work.
Generally by now the artisans should have completed the mud work of the idols, and started painting them up.
But due to incessant rain, the idols are still wet and are difficult to put colour on.
“Day and night we are working to finish the idols without sleeping. Today I slept at 5am and got up at 7am, as I have to complete my work," said Uttam Chakraborty, a renowned idol maker, who is preparing idols for ten Puja committees and two house Pujas.
He said that if the shower continues for a couple of days more, then he will have to hire blow lanterns and gas flames to dry the idols.
For idol makers, Puja is the best time to do brisk business, but rain has played spoilsport this year.
"Work has progressed but rain has spoiled the work. We are using polythene and continuing our work. As work is running behind schedule so we have engaged more artisans to complete the work on time," said Shyamal Paul, another artisan.
Most of the idols are suppose to be complete by Mahalaya on September 23 so that they can be shifted to their respective ‘Pandals’ or makeshift temples for putting colour on them.
Not only the idol makers, even Puja committee members are equally worried as they are racing against time to finish but due to intermittent rain, everything is moving at a snail's pace.
“We could not complete the work of our Pandals though the interior work is progressing but the finishing work on the outside is not possible. Moreover, in most of the community Pujas the idols could not be shifted from the work place of the artisans as they could not complete the mud work and the idols are still wet. We are worried because more rain is forecast this week,” informed Binoy Saha, a committee member of a community Puja.
Hundreds of people even from neighouring Bangladesh come to the state to enjoy the festival, hopping from one Pandal to another during the Durga Puja nights.