SATV Jankpurdham, Jan. 22: Many sculpture artists are now busy making idols of Goddess Saraswati in several districts of Tarai targeting the Saraswati Puja which is approaching soon.  

As in other districts of the Madhes Province, the artists in Dhanusha are also busy crafting the idols of Goddess Saraswati out of clay. This year, Saraswati Puja or Basant Panchami falls on February 2. 

The traditional artists remain busy during times of Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Shri Krishna Janmashtami and Vishwakarma Puja as they have to prepare hundreds of idols in a short time. 

But, in recent years, artists have been facing difficulty in crafting idols due to the lack of easy availability of suitable soil to prepare idols. 

Yogendra Pandit, one of the idol makers of Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City, who has been making clay pots and idols since childhood, said that he had to struggle to find suitable clay to prepare idols.   

Now when Saraswati Puja is approaching, Pandit has more than 35 kinds of idols of different prices. Yogendra's grandson has been helping him to prepare the statues. However, he is sad that the clay for making the statue is not available easily.

He said, "Our traditional profession is to play with clay. I have made thousands of statues in my life. But, I get frustrated when the government is not showing respect to our traditional occupation.” 

"We need training and we will be grateful if the government provides us with training and manage easy availability of soil," said Yogendra. 

Chandradev Pandit of Janakpurdham Ward No.12 is also busy making idols of Saraswati on way to the airport.

His statues are transported to Sindhuli from Janakpurdham. Although Pandit’s entire family is engaged in the profession of making clay materials, they find it difficult to make idols as soil is not easily available. Pandit said “The government has not seen our problems, we often difficulty to make statues due to unavailability of soil," he said. 

He feels that if he does not get the soil easily, his ancestral profession will be in trouble.  His entire family is involved in pottery and sculptor making profession. They make idols during the worshiping seasons and pottery at other times.

There are many artists like Yogendra and Chandradev in Madhes Province, including Janakpurdham, who have preserved the ancestral profession.

Government needs to do something to preserve our skills, Chandradev said.