Rajganj, 13th October: At just 14 years of age, Aritra Dutta Gupta, a Standard IX student from Belakoba, has drawn attention by crafting a beautiful Durga idol out of clay. Despite having no professional potters in his family, Aritra has turned his childhood passion for clay modelling into an impressive artistic achievement. He has named his 2-foot-7-inch creation ‘Chander Durga’.
A resident of Adarshpara in Shikarpur Gram Panchayat under Belakoba in Rajganj, Aritra studies at Belakoba High School. His interest in clay modelling began in childhood, when he would bring clay home from the potters’ neighbourhood and make small dolls and figurines.
His journey of crafting idols began in 2022, when he made a Durga idol measuring just five inches. Since then, he has continued to develop his skills and create increasingly elaborate figures. In 2025, he crafted a Goddess Kali idol measuring 2 feet 2 inches.
Alongside his studies, Aritra completed the ‘Chander Durga’ idol in just 15 days. He used 17 different colours, including white, black, red, yellow, blue, green and brown, to give the idol its distinctive appearance.
His artistic creations extend beyond Durga idols. Aritra has previously crafted clay idols of Saraswati, Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kartik, Shiva, Dakini-Yogini, as well as figures of foxes and snakes and an idol of Chhinnamasta. He has also crafted an idol of Hanuman using cement.
Through his dedication and creativity, the young student from Belakoba is nurturing his childhood passion while continuing his education.
