Festivals are big in India. Just try googling Indian Festivals - there are days and days of them each month. October seems to be the busiest month, with, amongst others, Durga Puja, which was happening when we arrived, then moving through a festival to celebrate dogs, and finally the big one - Diwali.
I can't quite get my head around all these Festivals. The pop-up temples that are so elaborate that are built specifically for one, then dismantled, with the Goddesses immersed in the river, then more temples erected for the next Festival. When we got back to Kolkata all evidence of Durga Puja had gone, and men were riding around on bicycles, motorbikes and rickshaws with mountains of bamboo to be used in the building of the new shrines. It was an amazing feat of balance.
When we were first in Kolkata our guide took us into an area of the city where the art of building the statues for festivals had been handed down from generation to generation. In each open fronted building people were meticulously carrying out the stages of construction.
The idea is that the statues will biodegrade in the water when immersed - they are made of straw and river mud, and painted with natural dyes.
Its a fantastic procedure. Initially the base is made from tied straw, a bit like a scarecrow. Then in the next set of buildings the men sculpt the clay onto the straw.
When the clay is dry the skin colour is painted on, then the more detailed features are added.
A mistake on any part means the whole thing needs to be started again - and the eyes are particularly intricate and important to get right.
Clothes are added, and with the addition of long, curly jet black hair she is done.
The statues are made in different sizes, with some for the temples and some for homes. The correct thing to do is to buy a new statue each year for your house, to ensure that you get good fortune. I must admit I was tempted...
I can't quite get my head around all these Festivals. The pop-up temples that are so elaborate that are built specifically for one, then dismantled, with the Goddesses immersed in the river, then more temples erected for the next Festival. When we got back to Kolkata all evidence of Durga Puja had gone, and men were riding around on bicycles, motorbikes and rickshaws with mountains of bamboo to be used in the building of the new shrines. It was an amazing feat of balance.
When we were first in Kolkata our guide took us into an area of the city where the art of building the statues for festivals had been handed down from generation to generation. In each open fronted building people were meticulously carrying out the stages of construction.
The idea is that the statues will biodegrade in the water when immersed - they are made of straw and river mud, and painted with natural dyes.
Its a fantastic procedure. Initially the base is made from tied straw, a bit like a scarecrow. Then in the next set of buildings the men sculpt the clay onto the straw.
When the clay is dry the skin colour is painted on, then the more detailed features are added.
A mistake on any part means the whole thing needs to be started again - and the eyes are particularly intricate and important to get right.
Clothes are added, and with the addition of long, curly jet black hair she is done.
The statues are made in different sizes, with some for the temples and some for homes. The correct thing to do is to buy a new statue each year for your house, to ensure that you get good fortune. I must admit I was tempted...
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