Why Bengal sculptors collect soil from Kolkata’s red-light area for Durga idols
This article explores the Bengali tradition of 'punya mati,' where sculptors collect soil from the doorsteps of sex workers in Kolkata to create Durga idols. It highlights the symbolic significance of this ritual, which elevates a socially marginalized space to a place of sacredness.
Why it matters
It provides cultural insight into how traditional rituals bridge the gap between social stigma and religious reverence in Indian society.
A visit to Kolkata’s Kumartuli stirs a range of emotions. Rows of Durga idols, some still taking shape in mud, others fully formed and ready to be delivered, line the lanes of this iconic neighbourhood, home to generations of potters who create the magnificent idols worshipped during Durga Puja. The spirit and sanctity of the festival can perhaps be felt most deeply here. But Kumartuli is also known for a generations-old tradition that makes it stand out.What material should be used to make an idol of Goddess Durga, the embodiment of purity and divine power? Naturally the best and the purest! And why, then, do the potters visit the homes of sex workers in Sonagachi, Kolkata’s (in) famous red-light district, and ask for soil from their doorsteps?The soil is mixed with the clay used to make the idol of Goddess Durga.
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