30th November 1980
Conversation with Sudhir Chakravarti in Krishnanagar-revealed that in Bankura, Birbhum areas the sutradhars produce mrinmoyi images. They make the images and the kumars just make pots. The sutradhars made the moulds for the terracotta plaques out of wood and generally, although not always, did the actual moulding. Kumars low caste. He also said that the kumars of Ghurni originally moved from Anandamayi Tola area. Also that only 4/5 families in Kumartuli originally came from Krishnanagar (most come from Dacca, Hooghly and other areas-Shantipur).
Bhagdis (weavers of baskets) make images. Not so with Doms. In the Tamluk Museum I saw 2 stone Krishna Gopals (broken with eyes very much Bankura terracotta style with pointed nose very reminiscent of the bangla style face). Also a 17th c broken stone Durga with Ganesh on left and ghorasingho. Very small and a direct indication of the family setting. Also noticed that several terracotta figs were made with 2 mould method-were therefore hollow inside.
What is the building on the chalchitra?