WB govt to preserve Durga idols with "exquisite" artwork

The West Bengal government has decided to preserve some of the Durga idols with "exquisite" artwork in different puja pandals in the city this year.
Along with the state government, some private organisations would also safeguard such idols.
"Many of the idols created for this year's Durga Puja are works of exquisite art and worthy of preservation. So we have decided to preserve some of them. And there area a few organisations as well as some individuals who have come forward to preserve them in their private collections," a senior state government official said.
The state government has decided to permanently preserve Chetla Agrani's Durga idol carved out of mahogany wood by artist Bhabatosh Sutar at the Eco Park, he said.

"We have been preserving the best Durga Puja idols at Eco Park for the last few years. This year we will keep the idol of Chetla Agrani," he said.
Sutar will himself preserve the six feet-tall terracotta idol of Baidyabagan Nabapally at Singhi More in Amtala at the artistes' conclave, 'Chander Haat' in South 24 Parganas district's Sarsuna.

"This is for the first time we are preserving any Durga idol at Chander Haat. We have selected an open space here with a shade above it," Sutar told PTI.
The terracotta idol of Amtala was created in a traditional style by veteran artist Biswanath Kumbhakar of Panchmura in Bankura.

The recently-refurbished 'Phire Dekha' gallery near Rabindra Sarovar Lake will also preserve four fibre glass idols.
"The idols at Jagat Mukherjee Park, Shiv Mandir, Buroshibtala and Barisha Udayan Pally will be preserved at our gallery," an official in charge of supervising the gallery, said.