Great Inter-Community Bond Of Cuttack City Reflects In Festive Season

This ‘millennium city’ of Odisha has set an example of communal harmony for years by making adornments for the goddess, like headgear and earrings, etc.

Muslim artisans residing in the Banka Bazar of Cuttack city have been designing tableaux for generations and their works are in demand in the neighbouring states as well.

Undeterred by any religious intolerance, the Muslim artisans of the city have been designing the backdrop of the Durga Puja Pandal every year.

The artisans say the demand for tableaux made of lace works is no less in the present run for making tableaux of gold and silver. The decorated hand-made tableaux made by my family members have a great demand in the markets of towns like Berhampur, Rourkela, and Sambalpur apart from Cuttack city.

Just a few days to go before the festival and my family members have started the work on making the tableaux. Due to the Covid pandemic,last two years the artisans were not feeling the same enthusiasm as it was deprived of getting the self-satisfaction of doing some service for the Mother Goddess Durga. But now everything has changed and they have started their work with the same enthusiasm.

In Cuttack, people are spreading a message of communal harmony and brotherhood in their unique style. And here, Muslim artisans lend their skills in constructing marquees during Durga Puja.