Clay Images of West Bengal

The clay image used in the rajbari of the Nadia raj is called Rajrajesvari and is made in situ in the thakur dalan which is a large building in the compound of the palace. The kumars come to the rajbari and construct the image using the original kathamo or wooden framework collected from the previous year's immersion in the local pond. This ensures that the dimensions and proportions remain the same each year. Additionally, the artists who construct this image can refer to a small scale model and photographs of previous images which are kept in their studios nearby. The kathamo is taken to the thakur dalan on any suitable holy day and the first clay is put on. The base of the image has holes for placing large bamboo poles to carry the image in procession to immersion on the last day of the festival.

Here the faces are covered up in preparation for the final unveiling during the chokurdan or 'eye-opening' ceremony when the brahmin paints in the eyes of the deities with bel kata (a twig from the bel tree) and kajol (the black col dye used around the eyes) just before the festival begins. Sometimes the artist assists the priest who only paints in the centre of the eye. Matt colours are being used as a base layer before the final layer of glossy varnish and daker saj is added. A particular idiosyncracy of this Durga image is the miniature arms extending from Durga's shoulders. The ghora simha or 'horse-lion' that Durga stands upon is the Nadia family emblem. It is a highly-stylised, mythical creature. Although it is supposed to represent the lion of Durga, it is white, has a curious black mane and moustache, a pointed snout and gold braiding over parts of its body.

The image of Lakshmi to the left of Durga is holding two long lotus stalks that rise from her dais. Both Lakshmi and Sarasvati opposite have long skirts and all the female deities have short sleeved blouses, elaborate belts and clay flower garlands around their necks painted red and white. The demon is a light green and the lion white. There is no buffalo, just a samll buffalo head placed just by the demon's righ knee.The demon, Mahisha, is dressed in the same manner as Kartik with shorts and knee length socks. Both wear small black slippers and their headdresses resemble pugris. The demon is shown with half drawn sword looking up at Durga while the horse-lion bites his righ elbow. Durga's left foot is on his righ shoulder as she drives her trident through his chest. Durga holds a snake in her bottom left hand that encircles the neck of Mahisha just to emphasise the complete subjugation and defeat of the demon.

The images of Lakshmi and Saraswati to the left and right of Durga are cleverly suspended in mid-air standing on lotus flowers. This is acheived by creating a strong armature that extends to the back of the image with the use of a series of struts that gather around the narrow central part of the chali.

The chalchitra or painted backdrop is done in sections. The person who painted the chalchitra for the Rajrajesvari image was a primary school teacher at the time of this photograph. In other words, it was not a patua who painted the backdrop for this image that was later glued onto the semi-circular space above Durga's head. The chali is densely packed with straw and clay with cloth stretched tightly over it.

Most of the decorations on the Rajrajesvari image are made of clay with a few pieces of daker saj. Here the headdress of the warrior god Kartik is made of tinsel. He sits on a peacock and holds a stylised bow and arrow in his hands. Durga's trident is also striped like Kartik's arrow. Even his eyes are in the traditional elongated pan style. He wears shorts and knee length socks. Strands of tinsel on fine string are stretched across the image almost like a shimmering veil.

The effect of the daker shaj and the glossy varnish on this image is interesting. Small sticks with strands of tinsel are strategically placed around the crown of the images. Light reflects of these and gives the impression that the deities are radiant. There is an elegance to this image which is often lost when an image becomes over-decorated to the extent that it is almost lost in a mass of tinsel or pith. The Rajrajesvari image is kept simple, restrained and minimal and that is perhaps why it is such an imposing figure, apart from its height at 15'. One can get a very good glimpse into the past and see what clay images may well have looked like in the 18th and early 19th c, which makes this particular image so important in tracing the historical roots of clay image making in West Bengal.

Raja Krishnachandra's worship of Jagaddhatri