Sylhet Bureau :
Idol makers commonly known as pauls are passing their busy days in making idols ahead of Durga Puja festival in Sylhet city and thirteen upazilas of the district.
The Pauls are working round the clock to make sure that the idols are ready in time.
The Pauls hope for earning better earnings this year as the number of puja mandaps has increased in the region.
Sagor Paul, an idol maker of Lamabazar area of the city said cost of raw materials including earth, rope, straw, bamboo and jute for idols have highly been increased but their remuneration has remained the same for the last several years.
‘Now I have very little time to sleep as the idols are to be completed as per work order’, said Sagor.
‘Five to eight workers need 10-15 days for making a large idol while smaller ones need around two weeks each,’ he added. He added that about one hundred Paul groups of Sylhet are now busy making idols for mandops and they have already completed 90 per cent works of making the idols.
Shonkor Pal, a devotee who supervises a puja mandop in Dadiarpar area of the city, informed that preparations for the upcoming Durga Puja have become costlier due to high price of the raw materials as well as increased charges of idol makers, purohits and dhakis.
Chondon Pal, trustee of Hindu Religion Welfare Trust, told that the Durga puja will be celebrated in 591 puja mondaps including 58 in Sylhet city from October 16 to 24.
Around 500 idol makers are engaged in making idols for Durga Puja in the region. One of them says he along with his assistant will make 10-12 idols.
Decorations of temples, lighting, and setting up of mandaps have already begun giving a festival look in the city.
Idol makers commonly known as pauls are passing their busy days in making idols ahead of Durga Puja festival in Sylhet city and thirteen upazilas of the district.
The Pauls are working round the clock to make sure that the idols are ready in time.
The Pauls hope for earning better earnings this year as the number of puja mandaps has increased in the region.
Sagor Paul, an idol maker of Lamabazar area of the city said cost of raw materials including earth, rope, straw, bamboo and jute for idols have highly been increased but their remuneration has remained the same for the last several years.
‘Now I have very little time to sleep as the idols are to be completed as per work order’, said Sagor.
‘Five to eight workers need 10-15 days for making a large idol while smaller ones need around two weeks each,’ he added. He added that about one hundred Paul groups of Sylhet are now busy making idols for mandops and they have already completed 90 per cent works of making the idols.
Shonkor Pal, a devotee who supervises a puja mandop in Dadiarpar area of the city, informed that preparations for the upcoming Durga Puja have become costlier due to high price of the raw materials as well as increased charges of idol makers, purohits and dhakis.
Chondon Pal, trustee of Hindu Religion Welfare Trust, told that the Durga puja will be celebrated in 591 puja mondaps including 58 in Sylhet city from October 16 to 24.
Around 500 idol makers are engaged in making idols for Durga Puja in the region. One of them says he along with his assistant will make 10-12 idols.
Decorations of temples, lighting, and setting up of mandaps have already begun giving a festival look in the city.
