We barely get to pause between festivals. As soon as Ganesh Chaturthi ends, we begin preparing for Durga Puja. For close to three months, Hyderabad becomes our home. We travel here from Kumartuli in Kolkata, bringing with us the skills our fathers and grandfathers taught us.

In Barkatpura, we set up temporary work sheds. The process begins with bamboo and straw, then comes the clay — Kolkata mitti from the Hooghly river, mixed with water and paddy husk. It’s the same way we’ve been making idols for generations. The clay feels soft when we work with it, but once it dries, it holds the form of the goddess with strength.

The work is demanding. From morning till late night, we keep shaping, repairing, and detailing every part of Durga Mata, along with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartikeya, and Ganesha. Some are small idols for homes, while others are large for pandals. Each one needs patience.

People only see the decorated idols at the pandals. What they don’t see is the long hours in the work sheds, the waiting for clay to dry, or the rush when the festival date comes close. There is always pressure, but when the idol is complete and ready to be placed for worship, that moment makes all the effort worthwhile.”