ওপারে থাকবো আমি … ফিরে এসো মা,তুমি রইবে এপারে,শুধু আমার দুচোখ ভরে দেখবো তোমারে”
Daughter’s Homecoming : A Promise of Solidarity. It is just that sometimes all it needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
The Goddess and God makers – the artisans, have always been two sides of Durga puja’s magnanimity. The bond between the artisan and Goddess depicts the loving, caring father- daughter like relationship they share in between. She is both a ‘devi’ and a daughter. Like a caring father, these potters/artisans bring life to Goddess, grooms her, raises her into a beautiful yellow skinned Goddess, which we admire. The stages it takes to make the beautiful larger than life effigies are tremendous and the immense hard work that these artisans put is beyond imagination and as a loving daughter, she helps them with opportunities to earn their livelihood.
Unfortunately, this year the Potter’s quarter wore a different look with an air of uncertainty everywhere. Generally, by July, most of the artisans already receive their bookings and burn their midnight oil to complete their orders by this time. But this year the novel coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown has left a cascading impact on the artisans in the city. However, with near proximity of the festivity, situations have been improving slowly and now it’s happening. Indeed, like every daughter’s assurance that She will come, she has to as she promised, has restored the faith again. So, what if it is small scale but still it has generated a hope and respite among these underrated craftsmen to thrive within the new normal that their lives have become.
