September and October are when we see idol makers painting idols of gods and goddesses, sculptures and clay toys in different parts of India, as festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja and Dussehra begin to set in. In parts of Maharashtra, where I have spent time collecting data and conducting fieldwork, many idols of oxen and livestock are also displayed in local haat bazaars, as farmers celebrate Pola, the festival in which they thank their livestock and domesticated animals for their contribution to their livelihoods and agricultural harvests.As Mahalaya is celebrated, marking the arrival of the goddess, different parts of India, especially West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, Odisha and Bihar, begin to light up. Pandals, roads and streets are adorned with thousands of lanterns, lamps and lights, and decorated with elaborate alponas (rangolis) in hues of red and white. Fragrant shiuli, or harsingar, with their orange-and-white blooms, spread their meditative fragrance. Clay diyas (Photo: Swasti Pachauri)Meanwhile, idol makers across India continue to observe the auspicious chokku daan, the ritual of painting the eyes of clay goddesses. Traditionally, it is done using a sacred kohl made using Bilva patra or Bel leaves and ghee. Shringaar kits around Navratras most definitely therefore carry bangles, kohl, and vermillion (sindoor).Kumortuli, the traditional potters’ colony in Kolkata, is an important centre of idol-making, supplying idols for festivals across the country. Pandal hopping is one of the most popular, economical activities around this time, as autumnal blooms of saptaparni appear in the evenings and a slight nip in the air descends upon the cities. It is also a lovely time for food enthusiasts and Instagram vloggers, with colourful natural landscapes and festive scenes to capture everywhere. Vrat chips, singhara (water chestnut) sellers, sago papad, vrat ki mithai, and different kinds of flours are also being sold around this time to commemorate Navratras. Soniya didi, aged 30 (Photo: Swasti Pachauri)And then there are the indigenous and local stories that emerge from artisans themselves. In a potters’ colony in Delhi, I saw many small artisans, mehendi artists and tailors setting up their shops soon after Pitru Paksha came to an end, around Mahalaya. There were ghagra cholis for Garba, flutes, dandiya sticks, Mata ki laal chunris and bangles, alongside the clay lamps, pots and idols that mark the festive season.Soniya and Sharda, two sisters in their early thirties, have traditionally been part of these occupations, carrying forward their families’ pottery and idol-making legacy over the years. The idols range from Rs 250 to Rs 500, depending on their sizes. (Photo: Swasti Pachauri)Both travel from Govindpuri, near Kalkaji, to Patparganj with their clay lamps, small matkas, pots used for growing jwaare during Navratri, and Durga idols in an autorickshaw every morning.Story continues below this adWhile their husbands set up their shops near the Kalka temple in Delhi, these women travel to the markets with their children.Sharda says that until last year, they would travel to Kolkata to purchase cheaper raw materials and carry them back by train. “Wahan mitti sasti milti hai, aur paint, sajawat ka saaman bhi,” she says.Wearing a lovely maroon suit and a sparkling bindi, her sister, Soniya, however, makes the idols herself, as she feels this keeps her closer to the traditional family art. Her daughters also enjoy watching her paint the idols alongside her husband. ‘Mujhe rangoli aur mitti ki kalakriti banana bahut pasand hai, haalanki samay aur bachat dono nahi hai isme.’ Sitting next to a sack of mud and diyas, Soniya explains that idol-making was traditionally associated with sculpting by hand. However, with urbanisation and cheaper substitutes becoming available for almost everything, they now use saanchas, or moulds, to make the idols. The material used is kaai, a clay paste that they prepare themselves.Painting and decorating the idols, however, are still done by hand. Their children sometimes help them with this work, too. Sharda, who takes care of her three daughters, says that, until a few years ago, they made the idols themselves. Now, they often prefer buying them from wholesale markets, either in Kolkata when they travel there or in Uttam Nagar, Delhi, where they can purchase them in bulk.Story continues below this adThe idols range from Rs 250 to Rs 500, depending on their sizes. Since this is a seasonal occupation, they begin preparing Ganesha idols after the monsoon and continue making different idols until around Diwali. These include Durga idols, clay toys for Dussehra, Ram Parivaar idols, and Lakshmi-Ganesh idols for Diwali. While we often see people engrossed in reels and Instagram content around shops, the two sisters had only basic mobile phones with them. When I asked Soniya how they kept up with market trends, she explained, “Instagram humare paas nahi hai. Na internet hai. Husband kabhi-kabhi naye design ka photo laa dete hain. Hum aaj bhi newspaper ya magazine se cut-out lekar ya TV dekh kar hi naye design bana paate hain. Kabhi koi order aa jaaye toh woh humein bata dete hain ki unhe kaun se rang chahiye. Kolkata se design le aate hain”.One of the challenges artisans face, therefore, is limited access to the internet, exclusion from the smartphone and digital content economy, raising questions of access and affordability even in an era of 24/7 internet connectivity for some of us. They also mention how storage becomes an issue when inventories, including idols and clay pots, remain unsold at the end of the season. “Agle saal purana samaan istemaal nahi karna chahte log, toh hum koshish karte hain ki bade bazaaron ke aaspaas samaan bik jaaye,” Soniya mentions. She says that they are not part of any urban women’s cooperative or collective, equivalent to the women’s self-help groups found in rural areas. This is an area where the government could work towards creating more urban livelihood groups under the aegis of DAY-NULM. Lamps, pots and idols that mark the festive season (Photo: Swasti Pachauri)Talking about incomes and empowerment, she says there are hardly any savings from this occupation. Yet they continue because they have few other skills to fall back on.“Iske alawa humein kuch nahi aata. Ration-paani bhi roz kharidte hain. Aaj tak 10 kilo atta nahi kharida humne. Roz kharidke roz khaate hain. I do want to have my own shop one day,” Soniya says, as she begins negotiating with a customer who wants to purchase a Durga idol.