"We wanted to roll out a community website in 2010. Our plan was to design a site with a catalogue of idols made by all the artisans here. Once idols were booked online, the orders would have been allocated to the individual artisan. But the plan did not eventually work," Babu Pal, former secretary of the Kumartuli Mritshilpi Sanskritik Samiti (Kumartuli Potters' Cultural Association), told IANS.
One of the main reasons for the plan's failure was the apprehension among a few artisans that favouritism might come into play while distributing orders, Pal said.
"As the proposed community website did not come up, 15 idol makers have launched their websites till now. They have already secured direct offers from around the world.
According to Pal, the websites have not only helped artisans tap overseas markets but online booking of idols has knocked out the middlemen.
Middlemen, the potters claim, get the orders for fibreglass idols from NRI puja organisers and eat away a major share of the potters' hard-earned money.
Prices for a five-foot-tall fibreglass idol of the mother goddess could range between Rs.100,000 ($1,900) to Rs.150,000 ($2,850).
"The world is changing fast. We have to be prepared for the rapidly changing world. In the coming days, more potters will go online as the fibreglass market is expanding every year," Pal said.
This year Kumartuli has sent 44 fibreglass Durga idols abroad. Last year, 38 were exported.
