Finishing touches being given to an idol of Durga on Thursday. Picture by UB Photos

Oct. 7: The rain god could not have come calling at a more inopportune time for the idol-makers and community puja organisers in the city.

With deadlines for the delivery of Durga idols nearing, the artisans are praying for a respite from the incessant rain, which has thrown normal life out of gear and traffic in disarray.

?The Durga Puja commences on October 20 and most of our idols are yet to dry, though we have completed the major clay sculpture work. Continuous rain for the past two days has played a damper on our trade. We are apprehensive that if the skies did not clear, we might not be able to meet the October 19 dateline for delivery,? Ashok Kumar Paul of one of the oldest idol-makers in the city, Lakshi Shilpalay, said. Paul?s family has been in the business for the last four generations.

?We have not been able to work or give finishing touches to the idols because of rain. Most of the clay sculptures are yet to dry completely. Hence, we have not been able to take up the painting and decoration work. If the rain did not stop in the next couple of days, we are in for trouble,? he said.

Pullak Dutta, treasurer of the Barowari Durga Puja Committee, Uzan Bazar, one of the city?s oldest community puja committees, said, ?Though we make the idol on the temple premises itself, unseasonable rain for the past couple of days has stopped the work. We are trying our best to complete the idol before the puja commences.?

Idol-maker Amar Pal from Calcutta, who has been coming to Guwahati for the past two decades before the Durga Puja, said he was not sure whether he would be able to meet the deadline this year or not. Pal has been commissioned to deliver five idols to different community puja organisers.

?I have almost finished a couple of the idols, which are awaiting finishing touches. But the remaining three sculptures are yet to dry completely and the continuing downpour is making things worse,? Pal said.