Sculptors busy making clay idols for Saraswati Puja

By Our Correspondent,Bara, Jan. 24: With Saraswati Puja approaching closer, sculptors in Bara are now busy making Saraswati idols. They are now decorating Saraswati idols they built for the Puja to be held on January 26. 

Niranjan Kumar Shah Kanu, a 17-year-old boy, of Simraungadh Municipality-11 Kachorwa village, said that they make idols of Vishwakarma, Durga, Ganesha and other idols as per festive season and earn up to Rs. 100,000.

Kanu said that since he was not interested in studying since childhood, he started making idols of various gods and goddesses when he saw other sculptors who came from outside the district making idols for various puja and festivals. 

Kanu said that he has set a goal of earning Rs. 250,000 from  selling 40 idols of Saraswati made with the help of his two brothers this year.

Likewise, 33-year-old Ram Kishor Ram of Kalaiya Sub-Metropolitan City-7 said that he expected to earn more than Rs. 100,000 by selling 30 idols of Saraswati that he has prepared in a month.

Ram said that he has been raising a family of eight by making clay idols in different seasons for the past nine years as he did not find other works and employment easily.

Similarly, 58-year-old Bindeshwari Thakur of Kalaiya Sub Metropolitan City-14 has said that he has been making idols with the help of her three sons. Thakur said that he had learned the art of making idols 35 years ago from his  master Madan Kushwaha of Bariyarpur of Bara district. 

 Since then Thakur has been making idols and with the income he has been maintaining livelihood of his family.  He also taught many people to make clay idols. Similarly, Surendra Prasad, who lives in Ward -1, has made 35 idols of Saraswati this year. 

Not only Kanu, Ram, and Thakur, but also many Nepali and Indian sculptors in Kalaiya, Birgunj and other places have been earning a good income by making idols during Saraswati Puja.