The idol of Kamakhya Kali being dried in the sun before painting. Picture by Avijit Sarkar

Siliguri, Oct. 31: From Kamakhya to Dakshineswar, Kali puja pandals will have them all.

Artisans from Kumartuli, who have their workshops next to the Mahananda, have promised that the idols will match the ones of Durga in creativity and design.

Be it the replica of Kamrup Kamakhya from Assam and Adyama from Dakshineswar, both sculpted by Bholanath Pal for two Siliguri clubs, or the giant 16-feet tongue-less Bhairavi Kali made by Adhir Pal, the artisans have promised pandal-hoppers a feast for the eyes.

Take for example the 12-foot idol of Kali sculpted by Adhir Pal of Kumartuli for STS Club of Dhupguri. Portraying the crisis of the times, it depicts a house on fire, in which a mother is frantically trying to save her child, when Devi Ma appears from the flames to help her out. On either side of the statue, there are three idols of chained “Indian nationals” and a giant Englishman holding on to the chains, to show how foreigners ruled us in the past and how they continue to do so even today.

Pal’s creative skills spills over to another puja of Jalpaiguri’s Milani Sangha in which the goddess is shown in the dancing posture of Nataraja. “The mood for this puja is dance, as clay models depicting four folk dance forms — Nepali, Mech, Rajbanshi and Santhal — will also be showcased reflecting the cultural diversity of the region. This is why I chose to present Kali ma in the Nataraja style,” said the sculptor.

Siliguri’s Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Club’s Mahashakti Bhairavi Kali is a tongue-less idol, some 16-ft high, wielding a 20-feet trishul and a five-feet kharga, all set to slay the evils of the time. She will be shown arriving on a huge chariot drawn by four giant lions, each nine feet tall and 12 feet long. Interestingly, there will be no Lord Shiva lying under her feet.

Reflecting on the modern times, the Kumartuli artist has designed Siliguri Elite Club’s Ma in the Indo-Western style. She will be shown draping the saree in the way modern women do, to honour the 21st century woman: strong, independent yet traditional.

Tarak Pal, another Kumartuli artist, has designed Dashamahavidyas, or the 10 forms of Kali, for a Siliguri Club near Tenzing Norgay bus terminus. Krisha, Tara, Dashmata, Durga, Sashan, Raksha, Bagala, Chamunda, Tripati and Bhairavi Kalis will be depicted in their typical styles.

Bholanath Pal’s creation, a 12-ft high Kamakhya Kali, with six heads and 12 hands, accompanied by Brahma and Vishnu, promises to be a treat for the eyes. “Generally Kali pujas are small-budget affairs and we also get a short time after the Durga pujas, which is why to give full shape to an artist’s wild imagination often gets difficult.” But Adhir differs: “Kali Pujas are at times even more grand than Durga puja.”