Tangail, Oct 02 (V7N)- As the Devipaksha of Durgotsava commenced on Wednesday, October 2, with Mahalaya, Tangail's idol artists are racing to complete their work for the upcoming Durga Puja festival. With around 1,200 mandaps across the district preparing for this major Sanatani festival, the potters and sculptors are busy crafting idols of Goddess Durga, along with deities Kartik, Ganesh, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.

A visit to some of the workshops, such as Adalat Para Puja Sangsad and Sri Sri Kalibari in Tangail City, shows artists working tirelessly—some shaping the idols, while others are adding the final touches of color. The intricate process of blending artistry with devotion continues day and night as they strive to perfect the beauty of the statues.

However, the artists have noted a sharp rise in the cost of materials, doubling since last year. Items such as clay, bamboo, wood, straw, and jute fibers have become significantly more expensive. According to Nishikant Pal, an idol artist from Netrokona working at Adalat Para Puja Sangsad, the cost of bamboo has risen from 200-250 taka to 500-650 taka. The cost of straw needed for mandap idols has also doubled, now requiring 5,000-6,000 taka compared to 3,000 taka last year. In total, what used to cost 40-50 thousand taka to create an idol now exceeds one lakh taka.

Despite these rising costs, the remuneration for the artists has not kept pace. Nevertheless, many idols are near completion, with final stages of painting and decoration underway. Some devotees are choosing to adorn the statues of Goddess Durga with colorful sarees, ornaments, and crowns of their preference.

The district is gearing up for the festivities, with the General Secretary of the District Puja Celebration Parishad , Pradeep Kumar Guna Jhantu, confirming that around 1,200 Durga Puja celebrations will take place this year. He expressed optimism that, with coordination from the district and police administration, the event will be as grand and peaceful as in previous years.

To ensure the safety of the event, Police Superintendent Dr. Saiful Islam Santu outlined the security measures in place. A control room is being set up in the Superintendent of Police's office, with 125 striking police officers on duty and 463 personnel deployed on motorcycles. Additionally, 112 officers will patrol in 28 police pickup vehicles, and plainclothes officers will conduct surveillance throughout the district.

To further enhance security, CC cameras will be installed across key locations, and plans are underway to use drones for monitoring. Smaller control rooms will also be set up at different locations to manage security during the festival.

The festivities will officially begin on October 8 (Tuesday) with the Mahapanchami ceremony and will conclude on October 13 (Sunday) with Bijoya Dashami.

END/BKC/AJ