That day, he (the husband) and Chhoti Modhi (the daughter) were playing the local stone game, Ashtachanga. Invite me to participate in the game as well. He told me to fill the bath after I declined. I went inside and kept the bucket filled with water. My daughter let out a cry after a little while. I heard his voice and went outside to see that he had fallen.
Not even the bucket of water was within his reach. It was already too late when I brought him to the hospital. He departed from this life. Three years have passed since then, and I have continued to create his fair share of sculptures. It is necessary to manage the household and raise the kids.
As Pushpa tells the tale of her husband's passing, she breaks down in tears. She quickly dries her tears and begins sculpting stones.
I whisper to you, How did he die?
"He used to make stone idols here, and that's what made him sick." My husband used to sell these idols at the Bijasan temple, where a market is held every 14 days. Because of the idol and the good operation of the house, I used to earn between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 2,000.
He suffered from TB for twelve years. Despite spending a lot of money on treatment, he did not recover. Then he started getting epilepsy, and over time his health began to deteriorate and he began to have respiratory problems. Then he vanished one day. I am currently at home with my mother-in-law, two daughters, and one son. In an attempt to support myself, I have taken to creating idols.
In Madhya Pradesh's Isagarh (Ashoknagar), I met Pushpa. The majority of the locals are employed in the idol-making industry. The unfortunate issue is that each of their biographies is identical to Pushpa's.
The sculptors here are between 45 and 50 years old on average. The village's elderly residents are either in the hospital or lead terrible lives.
The folks in this place are fully aware of the situation; they are not in the dark about it. Even yet, you will see people killing themselves in this area with hammers and chisels.
We have traveled 280 kilometers from Madhya Pradesh's capital to the Kadavaya village in Isagarh in order to comprehend the darker aspects of these people's existence.
Before we continue, allow me to inform you that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been discovering seven temples in Ashoknagar's Isagarh since 1958. Between the tenth and twelfth centuries, these temples were constructed in the Kachchhapaghata style. Kadavaya is the name of the village where these seven temples are located.
These temples have little idols of Hindu gods and goddesses, such as Shiva and Parvati, sculpted on their walls. Kadavaya's sculptors assert that they are descended from these craftspeople.
In Kadavaya, there is a temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Bijasan Devi. People travel here from all around Madhya Pradesh as a result. To help the people make some money, the local market is decorated once every fourteen days.
The rear portion of the temple houses roughly ten households. I turn and bend my head in the direction of the temple, then make my way back towards the houses.
All of the houses typically make noise when they chisel, hammer, or cut stones.
We started by knocking on Devendra's residence. Devendra said hi to us. On the exterior of a run-down house, he operates a modest idol shop.
Are you the only one in this house who makes money?
He began by saying, "At this moment, I am by myself." Otherwise, three individuals were employed. After coughing for a few days, Papa was taken to the hospital by his younger brother. He is TB-positive.
We are unable to work or live a decent life because of TB. Everyone in the family, including the other relatives, moved out and left us behind. He died of tuberculosis.
In Devendra's family, all the guys look older than they actually are and create idols. The 12th pass, Devendra, is not done talking about art and culture.
"The nation's culture is embodied in these statues." To make this happen, we are putting our lives in danger. In spite of this, the administration and government do not provide any assistance. Hard work never produces results.
Our aspirations have already passed away. I'm worried about my kids' futures. I've made the decision to pass away, but I won't be getting my kids to build monuments to me.
What is the salary for this line of work?
A single-foot statue requires one and a half to two days to create. We purchase stones from 'Sakkara,' a nearby village. Let's then carve it.
We have to spend Rs. 500 on each idol. It costs between Rs 600 and Rs 700. It depends on your luck whether, after investing Rs 500, you receive Rs 100 or just Rs 200.
