Idols makers at different places across the district are passing busy time as Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindus, is only a few days away.
The five-day Sharodiya Utsab will begin on October 1 and conclude on October 5 through the immersion of idols. This year, Durga Puja will be celebrated at 1,030 mandap in Khulna district. Artisans at different temples in Khulna city and other parts of the district are giving the finishing touches to idols ahead of Durga Puja.
General Secretary of City Unit Puja Udjapon Parisad Prashanta Kumar Kundu told BSS that a total of 130 mandaps has been set up in the Metropolitan city while 900 mandaps have been set up in all nine upazilas of the district. Around 450 idol-makers are engaged in making idols for Durga Puja in Khulna, he said.
While visiting the largest Dharmasava Puja mandap in the city this reporter found that artisans are now busy painting the images of deities to make the idols attractive to the devotees and the visitors.
Talking to BSS, Ram Prasad, an idol maker of Dharmasava Puja mandap said this year the Pauls (idol-makers) will earn more profit than last year.
"We have received Taka around 10,000 to Taka 15,000 last year of each idol making and Taka around 70,000 to Taka 1, 00,000 for one Puja mandap but we hope that we will receive around Taka 10,000 to Taka 15,000 this year of each idol making and Taka around 80,000 to Taka 1,00, 000 for each Puja mandap," he said. He said the cost of raw materials including earth, rope, straw, bamboo and jute for idol shave have highly increased but their remuneration has increased a very few than the last several years.
Manash Kumar Ghosh, organizing secretary of Dharmasava Puja Mandap said that preparations for the Durga Puja have become costlier due to high price of the raw materials and increased charges of idol makers, purohits and dhakis.
Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) and Khulna District Police authorities have separately taken adequate security measures for ensuring smooth celebration of Durga Puja.
KMP commissioner Md Masudur Bhuiyan said all kinds of security measures, uninterrupted electricity supply and traffic management would be ensured for peaceful celebration of Puja festival.
Khulna Police Super Md Mahbub Hossain said security measures have been taken in each temple. A team of policemen along with ansars will be deployed at the temples during the puja.
Deputy commissioner Md Moniruzzaman Talukder said disinfectants including hand wash and sanitization system will be set up at all entrance gates of Puja mandap considering coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19).
He added that closed circuit cameras, different entrance system for men and women to be set up at all mandaps.