{"slides": [{"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/01_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/01_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">A lane leading into Kumartuli in Kolkata\u2019s Ward No. 8\u00a0</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/01_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/02_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/02_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">Bagbazar ghat, on the banks of the river Ganga (locally called the Hooghly) is close to Kumartuli, and a source of clay for the potters</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/02_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/03_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG_3684.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/03_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">Work in progress at the community ('sarbonjonin' ) Durga Puja at Bagbazar in 2015\u00a0</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/03_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/14_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG_3564.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/14_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">Once the clay structure is ready, the artisans move on to making the face of the deity with plaster of paris\u00a0<br/></p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/14_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/15_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiFace_of_idol.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/15_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiFac.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p>They apply layers of clay and use special brushes to give the face a life-like appearance</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/15_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiFac.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/06_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG_3779.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/06_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p>Goddess Durga is usually accompanied by Lord Ganesha in the puja pandals</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/06_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/Durga_children_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/Durga_children_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinc.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p>And by other deities\u00a0\u2013 Kartik, Laxmi, Saraswati\u00a0\u2013 all made by the artisans of Kumartuli</p><p>\u00a0</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/Durga_children_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinc.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/Collage2_Journey_through_Kumartuli.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/Collage2_Journey_through_Kumartuli.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">The goddess is also accompanied by her mount or 'vahana'\u00a0\u2013 \u00a0its sharp teeth\u00a0give the lion a ferocious appearance. On the right, a\u00a0family in Kumartuli is using the clay to shape the curled tongue of the lion</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/Collage2_Journey_through_Kumartuli.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/05_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji..jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/05_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji..height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">A smaller idol (around 30 x 30 centimetres) is often placed in big pandals along with huge idols ranging from 8 to 14 feet. It is easier for the priest to perform rituals at the miniature form of the deity<br/></p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/05_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Maji..height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/12C_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG_3548.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/12C_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIM.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">The artisans of Kumartuli painstakingly give life to all these clay models</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/12C_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIM.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/13_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Majicooking_utensils.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/13_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Majicoo.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">Vessels with food inside Karthik Paul's workshop: during the busy pre-puja weeks, the artisans rarely have time to go back to their quarters to cook meals<br/></p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/13_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_Majicoo.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/16_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG_3571.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/16_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">Still-to-be-finished idols are tagged with pink slips indicating their various destination pandals</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/16_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/18_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG_0016.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/18_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">The idols are finally ready. The dimly-lit studios of Kumartuli bid goodbye to their works of art and send them on their journey to Kolkata's brightly-lit pandals</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/18_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg\" />"}, {"type": "image", "show_title": "True", "album_title": "Journey through Kumartuli", "src": "/media/original_images/17_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG_0041.jpg", "src_resized": "/media/images/17_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg", "description": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p class=\"MsoNormal\">The completed idol at the 2015 Bagbazar Durgotsav</p></div>", "album_description": "<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><i>At the centuries-old potters' colony in Kolkata, artisans\nwork through the night on the clay idols that\u00a0</i><i>they will soon send into the city for Durga Puja</i></p>", "url": "/en/albums/journey-through-kumartuli/", "slide_photographer": ["Sinchita Maaji"], "image_captured_date": "12 Sep,2016", "slide_location": "Kolkata, West Bengal", "track_id": "", "embed": "", "carousel_html": "<img src=\"/media/images/17_Journey_through_Kumartuli_Sinchita_MajiIMG.height-876.jpg\" />"}], "authors": [{"type": "inline", "show_title": "False", "name": "Sinchita Maaji", "bio": "Sinchita Maji is a Video Coordinator at the People's Archive of Rural India, and a freelance photographer and documentary film maker. This story was done as a part of her 2015-16 PARI fellowship.", "twitter_username": "", "facebook_username": null, "email": "sinchitamaji@gmail.com", "website": null, "author_url": "/en/authors/sinchita-maji/"}]}

photo_album