Although the country’s Hindu community observes one of its biggest religious festivals – the Saraswati Puja – today, there is relatively less enthusiasm this year at Old Dhaka’s idol making workshops as the ongoing blockade has put a dent on festival preparations.
As violence on the highways have limited transportation options, many of the usual out-of-district orders have not been made this year. The idol makers are also getting less business than usual as they had to turn away clients for not being able to ensure timely delivery because of blockade constrains.
Although Saraswati Puja starts from today, many Hindu devotees may observe it tomorrow as well.
Sadhon Chakraborty, priest of Jagannath hall at Dhaka University, said: “According to Panjika [Hindu astronomical almanac], this year the Saraswati Puja will start on Saturday at 10:45am and end on Sunday at 9pm; but people can observe it any time during this Tithi [a lunar day in Vedic timekeeping].”
Idol makers in Old Dhaka expect their business to continue on both days, but they remain uncertain on how their clients would be able to transport the idols during the blockade.
Gopal Pal, an idol maker working at a workshop in Shakhari Bazar, said they were working round the clock the prepare the idols, but the clients are not being able to come and receive the idols because of the turbulent political situation.
Gobinda Paal, also an idol maker at Shakhari Bazar, said: “This year we have made less idols and are selling it at a lower price than the previous year. Some idols remain unsold for the blockade.
“For the idol that I am selling today for Tk500, I sold a similar sized idol last year for Tk800. Every year we wait for this time and start our work two months ahead.”
Depending on the size and quality, the idols are sold for prices between Tk500 and Tk50,000. Small idols sold to families had a maximum price range of Tk10,000, while larger idols that were used for community or educational institutes’ puja pavilions fetched between Tk10,000 and Tk50,000.
To the members of the Hindu community, Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning.
Idol makers of Shakhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, Lakshmi Bazar, Sutar Para and Shimulia in Old Dhaka are renowned for their idol making. Every year they receive orders for Saraswati idols from across the country including Barisal, Noakhali, Chandpur, Comilla, Patuakhali, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Narsingdi.
Idol makers claimed that this year people from these districts could not come to the capital to buy their idols because of the blockade and hartals.
