Dhubri: A six-foot Durga idol made from about 7,000 discarded ballpoint and marker pens is drawing attention ahead of Durga Puja this year.Created over nearly four months by Dhubri-based artist Pradip Kumar Ghosh, the idol will be displayed at the puja organised by Usha Sangha at Bishnu Palli, near Vishnu Cinema Hall lane.Ghosh, a tutor from Panchmore in Dhubri’s Ward 2, has pursued experimental art since 1992. He has previously used plastic bottles, bicycle tubes, coconut husks, leaves and vegetables to create sculptures and idols.“I wanted to create something different for Durga Puja while conveying a meaningful message to society. Thousands of pens are discarded after use, but instead of allowing them to become waste, I thought of bringing them together to create an artistic representation of Maa Durga,” Ghosh said.Explaining his approach, he added, “Art is not limited to expensive materials. With patience, imagination and a little effort, even discarded objects can be transformed into something beautiful and meaningful. Through this idol, I want people to understand that waste can also become a resource.”The project involved months of planning and painstaking work to assemble the pens and shape the idol.“For me, this is more than an experiment in art, but a way of reminding people that we should think before throwing things away. If we learn to reuse materials creatively, we can reduce waste and contribute to a cleaner environment,” he said.Ghosh hopes the initiative will encourage young people, students, citizens and self-help groups to explore creative ways to reuse discarded materials. He also believes such efforts could help local artisans develop products from waste while creating livelihood opportunities.The idol brings an environmental message to Durga Puja, where organisers and artisans increasingly experiment with themes and materials for idols and pandals.
