Idols: 500

Artisans: 150

Photographers: 300

Kumartuli at 9.30am on Sunday was like a Puja pandal on Ashtami morning: chock-a-block with camera devotees trying to outshoot each other in search of the divinity of light, shade and shape.

What used to be a recommended study tour for an amateur ready to take the steep learning curve in photography is now a scramble of paparazzi proportions that has left idol makers in the potters' colony dreading the weekends.

This year has seen an army of shutterbugs descending on Kumartuli with cameras, lenses and tripods every Sunday morning, often squeezing themselves into the smallest of gaps between idols to capture the one unusual frame that would give them the bragging rights.

While some are members of photography clubs that move around in groups, many wander into the north Calcutta idol hub alone, including the not-so-serious types with mobile phone cameras and tablets as their shooting equipment.

Only a few photographers who visit Kumartuli are professionals; the rest are mostly members of the burgeoning tribe of amateur shutterbugs who have found on social media and photography sites a ready audience for their work.

But what makes this five-acre pocket with shacks that stand cheek by jowl the preferred photo walk site?

According to veteran photographers, Kumartuli is a challenge for any photographer who wants to learn to shoot interesting subjects in low light and cramped spaces.

"Every photo school and photo club opts for Kumartuli because it gives photographers ample chance to learn about the different formations, patterns and light conditions. It is also preferred by experienced photographers because it presents the challenge of shooting something new in a place that has been captured on camera by thousands of others for years," said Sutirtha Basu, who does wedding and fashion shoots for a living but returns to Kumartuli every now and then.

Clay models also give a photographer the chance to study lines and patterns, which they learn in theory at photography schools and clubs.

The unfinished models and the art of their creation make for surrealistic images that instantly appeal to the eye, Sutirtha said.

If "likes" on Facebook are the reward for a striking picture, the artisans complain of distraction, disturbance and sometimes destruction.

"Last year, I remember I was drawing the eyes of a Durga idol under the light of a yellow bulb when I was suddenly blinded by a camera flash out of nowhere. I ended up smudging the paint all over her face. I was mad at the photographer who had entered my studio without my permission but he was least apologetic and left after an argument," recounted Bhabesh Pal, who has been making idols since childhood.

Pal's anger resonates in Kumartuli, where 400 of the 600 families make idols. Of the rest, some trade in ornaments for the deities and the rest are daily wage-earners.

Septuagenarian artist Manmohan Pal said that a photographer carrying a bulky backpack knocked off the wrist of a Ganesha idol last week while going past his studio. "As the bag hit the wrist, it came off and broke into pieces," he alleged.

Last year, a photographer picked up a clay wrist he had accidentally broken and put it in his bag to avoid being caught, an artisan said.

Some artisans said there were "disciplinary" issues too. "Just this morning, my wife was having a bath at the well and a photographer was trying to take her pictures," said an artisan in his mid 50s.

Not everyone is complaining about the rush, though. Umapada Chatterjee, who sells tea, is delighted that his earnings have increased. "These are the few months of good business. Last Sunday, I sold around 200 cups," he smiled.

Rattled by the increasing number of photographers visiting Kumartuli, the artisans' association has started issuing "photo permission cards". A card costs Rs 10 for one day and a season ticket, valid for two months, is available for Rs 50.

The association had started the ticketing system four years ago but started implementing it only this year. The money collected is to be spent on the medical welfare of the potters and their children's education.

But the artisans complain that most photographers refuse to buy tickets. They are convinced that many who visit Kumartuli to shoot their work also make money out of it, which the photographers say is a myth. "I go there because photography is my passion. I don't sell photographs. Not that anyone has even approached me to buy a picture," said Siddhartha Mukherjee, an IT professional who owns a Nikon D800.

Sudipta Chakraborty, who teaches in a photography school, blames amateur photographers disregarding the "ethics of photography" for the disturbance caused to artisans. "Photographers are required to follow certain guidelines and ensure that while striving for a better shot, they do not disturb the artisans or damage their work. Patience and politeness can do wonders in making a picture," he said.

What is special about shooting in Kumartuli? Tell ttmetro@abpmail.com