Kolaghat artisans busy at Beldih Kalibari. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, Sept. 22: Durga Puja in the steel city may be climbing the glam graph with alacrity, but devi protima made by the Chakrabortys of Bengal still remain special because of its old-world charm.

Using Indian cork or what is better known as daker saaj in Bengal, this family of artisans from the banks of Rupnarayan in Kolaghat, East Midnapore, have been winning plaudits for creating masterpieces for some five decades now.

Though family patriarch Shaktipado Chakraborty has passed away, sons, Ajoy and Sanjoy, are following in his footsteps.

“Babar mrityur ek mash hoye gelo, mon bishon kharap, kintu kaj to kortei hobe (It has been only a month that our father has passed away. We are devastated. But, work must be done,” said Ajoy.

Shaktipado died in August in his ancestral home at the ripe age of 84. He had been visiting Jamshedpur to make Durga and Kali idols since 1963. Ajoy and Sanjoy began to accompany their father from 1970.

Particularly known for his mastery in painting the eyes of the goddess, Shaktipado had to quit the job because of failing health. He handed over the baton to his sons.

With the auspicious hour of Shasthi barely 48 hours away, the siblings are in great hurry to complete pending work. “It will be round-the-clock work for us from this evening. Protima sajano kaj aaj theke shuru hobe. (We will start decorating the idols from today),” said 51-year-old Sanjoy.

The brothers are working on idols for seven pujas — Beldih Kalibari, New Baradwari, Bengal Club, Circuit House, Telco Bangiyo Krishti, Rajendra Nagar and Uliyan Durga Bari. The idols have to be installed by Shashti.

“We don’t decorate our idols with regular stuff bought from Kumartuli. We employ experts to prepare the items at our home in Kolaghat,” added Sanjoy.

Besides dak saaj, the Chakrabortys also ferry over 50kg of Ganga soil to the steel city. “It is an essential component needed for smoother finish. We procure chitta mati that makes the base of local rivers,” Ajoy said.

Apart from daker saaj, another USP of the idols is their size. The one being made for Beldih Kalibari stands tall at 17ft and weighs nearly three tonnes. The Beldih Karibari idol is the biggest that is being prepared by the brothers this year followed by the one for Bengal Club, which is a foot less.

The Durga idol of Beldih Kalibari remains the cynosure during the four days of festivities. It is also a commentary on the artistic skills of the Chakrabortys.

After the death of their father, the two brothers are now wondering if their sons would carry on their tradition. “We have left it to our sons. Idol-making is about passion and it cannot be forced upon anyone,” said one of the brothers.