Odisha artist crafts Durga idols for Kochi pujas
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Santosh Kumar Saha, an artist from Balasore, Odisha, travelled to Kochi to create idols of Durga, Lakshmi, and Ganesha for local puja pandals.
For the first time in his 25-year career, Saha worked outside of his home state, answering a request from the Vishwakarma Cultural Association, Kochi. The Association previously hired artists from West Bengal, but chose Saha this year because the artistic styles of the two neighboring regions are similar.
Saha brought soil from Odisha to Kochi, explaining that the texture of the soil creates a smoother finish on the idols than the local soil. He completed idols for two pandals, the Vishwakarma Cultural Association’s 12-foot-high structure and a smaller installation for the Keral Banga Samskriti Sangha, and will return to Balasore with his assistant after the ceremonies conclude. The celebrations at both locations will run from October 16 to 21.
