Clay jewellery replace gold ornaments at Cuttack pandals

CUTTACK: The three-decade-old tradition of decorating Goddess Durga with clay ornaments has made a comeback in Silver City, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.Durga Puja being a low key affair this year, puja committees have replaced gold and silver ornaments of the Goddess with jewellery made from clay.

Baring a few puja committees, most have sculpted 4 ft-high idols and decorated the deity with clay or ‘zari’ ornaments. Around 35 pandals have prepared clay ornaments and weapons while the idols in the rest of the pandals are adorned in jewellery fashioned from ‘zari’. Organisers said as gold and silver jewellery will not fit the small size idols, they decided to make clay and ‘zari’ ornaments for Goddess Durga.

They said 30 years back, idol makers prepared clay ornaments with the help of chancha (moulds) for the deity.  However, with the introduction of metal ornaments to add glitter, the tradition of making clay ornaments faded into obscurity. The pandemic has revived the tradition. 

A majority of puja pandals have also opted for clay clothes for the deity in place of the Pata sarees. “Since we constructed life size idols, it was easier to drape sarees on them. As the idols are smaller this time, we decided to prepare the entire sculpture with saree painted on it”, said a puja committee member.