Hazaribagh, Sept. 21: Men making idols is nothing unusual. But how about a woman busy giving final touches to idols?

Unconventional you may say, but Damyanti Devi has been proving her mettle in clay idol-making over the past two decades here.

Two leading clubs of the town — Bihari Durga Mandap and Bengali Durga Mandap — have been entrusting her with the task of making Durga idols for them since past 20 years.

Though idol-making is considered as an unconventional profession for women, Damyanti has mastered the art. Her in-laws encouraged her to go ahead with idol-making, she said.

Damyanti said that she had interest in clay art and paintings since her childhood. “I started off with paintings but soon ventured into making idols,” she said.

“My parents and brothers used to prepare small clay toys and idols, which inspired me also. I learnt the skill from them and finally took it up as my profession,” she said.

Damyanti has been able to afford the expenses of the studies of her two daughters from the earning of this profession. “I have married off my daughters also. It’s all due to the blessings of Ma Durga,” she said.

But the woman behind several gorgeous idols of Durga doesn’t want her children to take up this profession.

“You have to toil a lot to make idols but at the end of the day you get peanuts,” she rued.