Like any of his Hindu friends in the neighbourhood, Durga Puja is the biggest festive occasion for Shamim Khan. For, this festival of the Hindu Goddess ensures him livelihood for an entire year.Several generations of Muslim craftsmen in the Silver City have been working behind-the-scenes to make Durga Puja a success. The exquisite medhas (backdrops) and artefacts, prepared with colourful, zari or white paper and sholapith (Indian cork) to deck up puja mandaps, are all creations of craftsmen like Shamim. And the artisans not only toil day and night to meet the Puja deadline, all of them worked while fasting for Ramzan. Shamim of Banka Bazaar learnt the art of crafting sholapith from his father and this has been his source of livelihood since the past 30 years. The 45-year-old spends eight to 10 hours a day to meet orders. His wife Nashima and three sons, after school hours, help him in preparing the medhas. Even his brothers and their wives are into the same profession. “All the men make the backdrop and the designing works with lace, sequins and velvet is done by women of the family,” says Nashima.The family receives contracts for mandaps at Professor Pada, Meria Bazaar, Shikarpur-Gandarpur, College Square, Sutahat, Oriya Bazaar and College Square and Bidyadharpur. They even get orders from places like Choudwar, Angul and Berhampur. While many artisans like Shamim receive small orders all year round, the months from July to November are the busiest. “Orders start pouring in from July for Ganesh puja, Viswakarma puja and Bhalukuni puja. The orders for Durga puja and Kali puja follow,” said Liaqat Khan, Shamim’s brother.The cost of the medhas depends on their size and design. Zari medhas for Ganesh puja cost around `20,000, while the paper medhas are priced between `10,000 and `12,000. Those for Durga puja mandaps, which are bigger in size (around 14 feet), are available at prices that range from `25,000 to `1 lakh.Not just the medhas, these artisans craft the ornate headwear that adorns Durga idols and exquisite ornaments, all of which are made out of sholapith and zari or paper.“Muslims are as much a part of Durga Puja festivity like any other Hindu in Cuttack is. People of both the communities work together to make the festival a grand success,” said P Ch Raj, secretary of Tinkonia Bagicha Puja Committee.
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