The main religious festival of the Sanatan religion is the autumn Durga Puja. Like the rest of the country, sculptors and potters are busy making idols in various parts of Khulna’s Paikgachha upazila, focusing on this festival. The beautiful form of Goddess Durga is being created with straw, wood, bamboo and mud. The work of making idols for the autumn Durga Puja has started in Paikgachha, Khulna. The main steps in making idols by sculptors and potters are; Before starting the clay work, the initial structure or form of the idol is made with bamboo and straw. Mud and clay are applied perfectly on the structure. After the clay work dries, the finishing and coloring work begins. The artists create the idols of Goddess Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik, Ganesh and Asuras with their skillful hands. Before the idol is taken to the mandapam, the goddess idol is beautifully decorated with clothes, jewelry, and various ornaments.

Preparations are underway to make idols for the autumn Durga Puja in about 154 temples or mandabs in Paikgachha upazila. People are busy making idols in the puja mandapas in different parts of the upazila. It was seen during a visit to several puja mandapas in Paikgachha that idols of Goddess Durga are being built with artistic touches using mud, bamboo, straw, and twine. Sculptors or craftsmen are busy making idols day and night. Idols of various gods and goddesses including Goddess Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik, and Asura are being made with skillful hands.

The dewy morning and the blossoms of autumn herald the arrival of the autumn Durga festival. Around this biggest festival of Hindus, artisans are busy making idols in Paikgachha. The idols are becoming beautiful with the skillful hands of potters. Now the work of making idols with straw and mud is going on. At the same time, preparations are going on in the temples to decorate the autumn Durga festival to the fullest.

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