Shantipriya Roychowdhury/Howrah

As Durga Puja pandals are being readied across West Bengal, Sheikh Noor, Hossain, Mustafa, Kamal and Saifuddin of village Pabaratipur are busy packing hair wigs that will be used to decorate the idols of Lion, Mukut (Crown), Shiva, and Maa Durga.

The demand for (cotton) hair wigs is rising as the festival date is approaching, and the trio faces a challenge of delivering on time.

The traders of cotton wigs have been hit hard by the natural calamity this season. Due to the heavy rain and moisture in the air, the traders wigs for Durga Puja pandals, of Baragachia in the Howrah district, are facing challenges.

An artisan drying the dyed 'hair'

"The continuous rains this year have taken a long time to dry the dyed cotton in the sun. As a result, it is difficult to supply the hair of the idols on time, which has caused significant losses to the business this year," Mustafa said.  

The Muslim-dominant village of Pabaratipur in the Jagatballavpur block of Howrah is known for wigs of the idols of Hindu gods and goddesses. This is the busiest time for them, and some of the artisans say they hardly get time to eat.

Their business lasts till Kali Puja.

Artisans busy in wig making

There are more than 400 Muslim families in Mallikpara, Sheikhpara and other areas of Pabratipur village. And potters from Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata and Kumartuli who make the idols await hair made by the people of this region to complete the idols.

This busyness will continue till Kali Puja, and it resumes during Saraswati Puja.  

Most of the families in Pabaratipur earn their living by making cotton hair for idols.

Some small and medium-sized idol hair manufacturing traders in Pabaratipur said, "Though idol hair is supplied throughout the year, the main business booms during Durga Puja. However, it continues till Saraswati Puja. During this time, we can invest more money and buy more cotton Paint and dry it thoroughly in the sun. It has been raining almost every day this year, making it difficult to dry painted scaffolding." 

Fixing the wig on Durga idol

Small and medium-sized hair Manufacturing businesses face this problem, while the big ones don't.

"We buy a considerable amount of cotton every year and prepare the hair in advance. Small and medium traders cannot do this due to financial constraints. So they face problems when it rains during Puja.  

Sheikh Noor, a resident of Sheikhpara in Pabaratipur village, has a hair factory for the idols of the goddess. However, not only in his factory, but also in the more than 31 other factories here now, the craftsmen are busy.  

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Pabaratipur was the first village in West Bengal to start making idol hair. This has strengthened the bonds between Hindus and Muslims in the village.