Cuttack: Khudurukuni osha 2023 will commence from September 3, Sunday. Unmarried girls perform this osha wishing well being of their brothers in the month of Bhadraba.
Ahead of the Khudurukuni osha, potters in Mahanga area of Cuttack district in Odisha have come up with variety of idols. They have high hope that this year the profit out of selling the idols will be encouraging.
As many as 12 potter families in Jerkand village under Lalitgiri Panchayat in Mahanga block in Cuttack district are still practising their traditional occupation. They have carved beautiful Khudurukuni idols for sell.
Every year these potters sell Khudurukuni idols ahead of the its beginning. As they faced difficulty in the years that were affected by Covid, this year they have hoped to get good income out of this trade.
The potters bring clay and sand about a month ago to make idols. They make small and big statues of the Goddess who is called either Khudurukuni or Bhalukuni.
The women and children of the family help in making the idols.
The potters of Mahanga not only make Khudurukuni idols, but they also make idols of Lord Ganesha, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Durga, Vishwakarma. Apart from idols they also prepare pots and other earthen items.
This year, the price of colourful Khudurukuni idols has been kept from 30 rupees to 5000 rupees. Even some statues are made of molds and some are hand carved. With so much effort and expense, it is becoming very difficult to get back the capital money. However, the potter has carried on this artistic profession hereditarily.
Once the idols are ready, traders and customers visit this village to buy the idols. Also, some potters are going from village to village selling Khudurukuni idols on trolleys. It has been expected that in this season a potter’s family is expected to earn a minimum of Rs 30 thousand to a maximum of Rs 1 lakh.
Ms Kalinga