At this time of the year the narrow lanes of Kumartuli in North Kolkata are bustling with frenzied activity. Durga Puja, the festival celebrating the Goddess Durga, is just about a month away. Its the biggest festival in Bengal, part of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list.
These muddy lanes are lined with workshops where the artists build Durga images out of clay and straw, huge ten armed goddess riding on a lion, slaying the buffalo demon.
But this Sunday a man with a loudspeaker is asking the artists to leave their workshops and gather in front of an art gallery near the tram line.
ANNOUNCER
It’s time to put down their brushes and protest. The brutal murder and rape of a junior doctor a month ago at the R G Kar medical hospital still casts a shadow over the city. Every day since then Kolkata has seen protest marches and human chains demanding justice.
OVERCOME
School alumni, doctors, singers, chefs, rickshaw pullers, domestic help.
This week the clay artists of Kumartuli added their voice, wearing black bands around their heads demanding justice.
SLOGAN1: Kumartuil dicchey daak aamar Durga bichaar paak
Kumartuil is calling out, justice for our Durga now
In India law forbids naming the rape victim. Newspapers have named her Abhaya or Fearless or Tilottama the one without any flaws. But in these narrow lanes devoted to building the Goddess Durga, she has become another Durga, their Durga
This is Sandip Roy in Kolkata
The announcer invites acclaimed artist Sanatan Dinda to be the first to sign a white board where there are collecting signatures of protest.
ANNOUNCER2: Shush suchona Torben sanatan dinda
Dinda, with bushy black hair, a blue scarf draped around his neck, obliges. Body painter, visual artist and sculptor, he is much in demand especially now. Big ticket Durga Pujas woo him as an artist for their installations.
But he just resigned from an arts body under the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs to protest the rape and murder and the way the government handled it. He says as an artist he does not live in an ivory tower. His art speaks to the issues he sees around him
SD1: Santan dinda chhoni aanku Aami gojodonter minaret boshe chhobi aanki na, aami somajer kotha boli
He says the tragedy has cast a pall over the festive season and over the artists
SD2: Probhaab to porechei, eto shilpi kaaje mon nei
Subol Pal is one such Kumartuili artist. He says he came to protest because society feels broken. And wIthout society there will be no art no culture.
SP1: Somaj na thakle na shilpi thakbe na Sanskriti thakbe
Pal says he is sure each Durga Puja committee will in its own way pay tribute to the young doctor, raise their voice in protest.
SP2: Protyek Pujo committe kichu na kichu protibader swarey kortey chaichey
Many clubs are refusing to take the money the government grants them for organizing a Durga Puja.
Dinda says this tragedy will no doubt find reflection in how he represents Durga this year as an artist
SD3: Ekjob socheton shilpi hishebe eishomoye Aamar Durgake ki bhaabe represent korbo,
Dinda says he quit all official positions so that he could stand beside the grieving angry masses. Finally he says he feels free and without fear
SD4:Shob sorkari pod chhere raastay nemechi, amaar aar kono bhoy nei
And he says his fellow artists are happy to give up a day of work at their busiest time to demand speedy justice.
SD5: tara chaiche ekdin kaaj noshto hoke. Kintu subichar hok
A poster advertises the local Durga Puja. But below that another poster asks how much longer? Not how much longer for Durga Puja, but how much longer for justice.
That is on everyone’s minds.
As the announcer rallies the marchers, Subol Pal says the tragedy reminds them Durga is not just someone you worship once a year, Durga is everywoman in every home. He is protesting for all Durgas out there.
SP2: Durga toh shudhu amader Pujo Korar byapar noy. Durga amader ghore ghore
This is typically a season of joy because this is when the Goddess Durga vanquishes evil and comes home. But this year says Dinda it’s hard for the artists to paint a smile on her face until this young doctor gets justice.
SD6: Tahole amra amader Durgar mukhey hashi photate parbo.
In a season of homecoming they cannot shake off the image of the Durga who did not get to go home.
This is Sandip Roy in Kolkata for KALW