JOIN USBengal idol makers return to nature
As the monsoon rains recede and the sky opens up to sparkling azure hues, the first scent of jasmine starts to waft in the air across Bengal, bringing along with it the state’s annual extravaganza – the autumn festival of Durga Puja.
With frenzied shopping, plans for pandal hopping and speculations about which puja pandal will come with the most jaw-dropping theme gaining momentum, the race against rain is gathering pace for the artisans in the idol-making hub in north Kolkata’s Kumartuli.
As the fresh coat of paint is smeared on clay idols, every drop of rain is a spoil sport. But, this year another factor is dogging the idol makers and that is the Goods and Services Tax (GST). “We know how to tackle rains. Even if there is constant downpour for a couple of days, we know how to get going, how to dry the clay models and make them ready in time for delivery. What we don’t know is how to adjust with the GST. All our budgets and estimates have failed,” said idol maker Mintu Pal.
Prices of various items used in idol-making have shot up in the new GST regime by as much as 18%. “Varnish oil is an absolutely essential item lending the final sheen on the clay models. Under the GST, the highest slab, which is 28%, is applicable on varnish oil. Zari, another essential item for making the dresses for the idols and also used in innumerable intricate decorations, is attracting 12% GST. From bamboo and straw, nails, silk fabric, costume jewellery to aluminium and steel armaments which adorn the idols, the GST is being charged on every item. Till last year, there was no tax on these items,” rued Pal.
The idol makers of Kumartuli have been in this trade since the 19th century. Shop owners like Ranajit Sarkar, who runs Shilpalaya and deals in raw materials needed to make the idols ranging from potters’ clay to bamboo poles and sticks, are also equally hit. “We have been dealing in these raw materials for making idols for over three generations now. Our customers have faith in us and are more like family members. But, this year after the GST, we have been spending sleepless nights. On one hand we are running the risk of losing business during this peak period and on the other, relation with our customers is taking a severe beating,” said Sarkar.
“Earlier we used to pay 14.5% VAT on tin items, which are used to make the weapons placed in the hands of the idols. Now the rate is 18%. The same is with essential decorative items like bullen (spiralled fine metallic wire), chumki, zari, brocade everything… even strings now cost Rs 100 more. Number of customers from neighbouring states and from the districts have dropped. Added to that is the trickle in supply of materials from Surat and Mumbai, where the wholesalers in Burrabazar get their consignments and then sell them to us,” he said.
Other than clay models, the artisans of Kumartuli are also masters in fibre models, which are mostly sent abroad. After the GST regime kicked in, idol makers are complaining of a variety of troubles.
“We received our orders much earlier than the GST, but by the time the idols were complete and ready to be specially packed and sent to North America, South America and several countries in Europe, trouble started with transportation. The cost of transporting idols to our overseas clients either by ship or air, has skyrocketed due to the GST. We are staring at heavy losses, both in the domestic market as well as internationally,” said Kartik Pal, secretary of Kumartuli Mritshilpi Samity, a forum of idol makers in the hub.
But, as the saying goes in Bengal that there is always a silver lining behind the dark clouds, artisans like Kartik Pal, Babu Pal or Pradip Rudrapal, who have their own studios, have decided to beat the GST blues by falling back to nature.
“Earlier in Kumartuli there was a tradition of making colours using elements from nature. The cost used to be less and the sheen and glaze on the idols used to remain for a longer duration. This year after the GST burden, many of us are switching over to traditional colours. The foundation which we have again started using is glue made of tamarind seeds. Tamarind seed powder is mixed with water and heated at very high temperature (60-100 degrees Celsius) to make the glue. With this, powdered colours of different hues are mixed to get the desired shade and used as paint for the idols,” said Kartik.
Artisans in Kumartuli said to purchase paint under the GST regime this year they are shelling out an additional Rs 280 while spending Rs 1,000. “I spend around Rs 60,000 for purchasing colours for the idols I make. Going by the market rates after the GST, I have to pay an additional Rs 17,000 as taxes. This whole thing is driving me towards traditional tamarind glue-based paints,” said artisan Mintu Pal.
Babu Pal, joint secretary of another artisans’ forum, Kumartuli Mritshilpi Saanskritik Samity, said the GST regime has been a double blow for idol makers. “Orders for Durga idols were taken much earlier when there was no issue of GST, but materials for the idols were bought by us only after Rath Yatra in July, when the GST had come into effect. Now we have come to know that there is a GST relief on finished idols (from 12% to 0), but the benefit is only for customers. The artisans are left at the receiving end. All we could do was to offset some of the losses by adopting natural painting methods, but it is very limited. There is no alternative to steep rise in the rates of Kali and Jagatdhatri and next year’s Saraswati idols,” he said.
From Puja organisers to idol makers, the GST has emerged as this year’s demon whom they are praying that the goddess will slay, before leaving her maternal home with her siblings.
“This year is our 86th year of Puja and for the first time we are decorating our entire pandal with daily happenings in Kumartuli – Goddess Durga will gaze on models of idol makers, porters, transporters, trolley handlers for the huge idols to those who make intricate costume jewellery. It is our own humble way of paying respect to those behind the whole extravaganza amid the hardships, more so due to the GST. We hope things will be better next year,” said a member of the Kumartuli Sarbojanin Durgotsav committee.