By Shrabana Chatterjee

Copyright thehindu

Kolkata’s potters’ hub at Kumartuli is struggling with the rising influx of influencers and bloggers every passing year. This year, potters said there have been multiple incidents of damage to idols, with artisans racing against time to meet deadlines before the Durga Puja season is upon them.

From photographers to models and influencers, people dress up in festive clothes and swarm into the narrow lanes and by-lanes of Kumartuli in the hundreds every single day.

The locals fear that the numbers are only increasing as Durga Puja draws to a close. That is why this year, from Mahalaya (September 21) — the first day of the Durga Puja season — the artists’ collective has decided to stop all influencers from entering the area.

“They are dressing up as Durga Maa and say they want to click photos with Durga idols. As an artist, I am at a loss for words to explain how disrespectful and disturbing this feels for us. This is our art, this is our life, we have been here for generations, way before these young kids knew what Kumartuli is and started flocking here. They do not even respect us or our art, they only want good pictures,” Bankim Paul, a senior potter in his 50s, told The Hindu while catching a breath between a hard day of work.

Mr. Bankim added that many of the influencers and photographers also break off parts of the idols and take them away. With Durga Pujas knocking on their door, they grapple to make repair works from scratch.

“We have made tickets to control the crowd. Tickets are ₹50 and ₹100, but the numbers have not reduced. Many of them also do not want to buy the tickets, but we are not using the money for our own good, are we? We run a free medical camp here for all the hundreds of workers and artists. The idols we make are heavy and tall, accidents happen frequently, we use the ticket money to fund these treatments,” Sujit Paul, treasurer of the Kumartuli Mrit Shilpi Samiti (Association of potters and artists) said.

Mr Sujit, who has two workshops in Kumartuli, said that many photographers have also barged into their workshops and shops without permission, forcing the artists to pose and do scripted skids for views which disrupts their work.

Artists in the locality say that since they live in very crammed houses inside the Kumartuli area, many have to take a bath on the roads at the community taps, and many photographers have also clicked their photos in such compromising positions without their consent.

“Are we taking a bath on the road because we like to do it? These roads that they look at as exotic is our home, this is our community. They have clicked our pictures taking a bath. It is a clear violation of our personal space. Who gives them the right?” a female potter who wanted to stay anonymous said. She also pointed out that if they object, the influencers start arguments which have sometimes also turned into physical fights.

With only a week left for the Durga Pujas, artists in this potters colony are gearing up to finish the last leg of their work. They do not have a moment to spare, however, reel makers in every corner are forcing them to share interesting stories, sometimes even coaxing them to take part in their videos. Some even have choreographed moves for their videos.

“They no longer come here to see the idol making and enjoy the art. They come for views. It is complete madness,” Mr Bankim added.

Many of the reel makers have heavy bags, tripods, lights, and other equipment with them, which the artists have to find their way around them to ensure they do not damage anything as they hop around with bags of clay or buckets of paint trying to finish their work.

Meanwhile, some of the bloggers and influencers that The Hindu spoke to said that the main reason for them flocking to Kumartuli is because it’s “trending on social media, and most other local influencers are doing it.”

“I have been going to Kumartuli for years way before it was a trend. Gone are the days when photographers like us used to wait for a shot to happen. Now everyone is competing, so they are ready to stage things as well,” Tanumay Naskar, a passionate photographer who has been clicking photographs in Kumartuli for years. He added that in the frenzy to get exclusive shots for views, photographers and influencers should not trivialise the potters and their artwork.