Immense devotion and love for the environment, learned from YouTube and made idols of Mother Goddess from clay.

Chhatarpur Decoration work is going on in full swing in all the Devi temples for Sharad Navratri starting from 3rd October. Before the installation of Maa Durga in the pandals, the idol artists are busy giving final touches to the idols. Rambabu Kushwaha of Churayari village of Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh has been making idols of the goddess from clay for the last three years. While most of the statues in the city are being made from plaster of Paris, Rambabu is making clay statues for environmental protection.

Rambabu makes idols of goddess from clay.
While talking to Local 18, Rambabu Kushwaha told that he started making idols of the goddess from clay three years ago. Due to their hard work and the grace of Mata Rani, the demand for clay idols is continuously increasing. In the first year he had made only 5 idols, in the second year he had made 15 idols, and this time he has made 20 idols. Orders are still coming to him, but there is no time left to make the idol.

Learned the art of sculpture making from YouTube.
Rambabu tells that he learned the art of idol making through YouTube. Four years ago, he made a small clay idol of the goddess for the first time. This year, with the blessings of Mata Rani, he has prepared 20 idols, which is a big achievement.

clay sculpture process
Rambabu tells that it takes three days to prepare the idol of a goddess. First of all, paddy straw is brought and the frame of the idol is made by tying it with twine. After this, thin clay coating is done. Then the straw clay is kneaded and applied and finally another layer is added for finishing. After painting the idol with raw paint, the final stage is the decoration and adornment work.

Promotion of environmental protection through clay idols
While idols made of plaster of Paris cause water pollution, Rambabu’s clay idols are not only traditional but also safe for the environment. His efforts are promoting environmental protection at the local level, which is also the need of the hour.

Tags: Durga Pooja, Local18, Madhya Pradesh, Special Project