Senior Correspondent.TOD.Balurghat
At just 12 years of age, Sonai Das has already developed a remarkable bond with clay. With his bare hands and vivid imagination, he transforms ordinary lumps of clay into figures of elephants, tigers, fish and even Hindu deities. Without any formal training or moulds, this young boy from Ayodhya village in Balurghat block of South Dinajpur district is gradually making a name for himself through his artistic talent.Son of Shankar Das, Sonai lives with his family in a modest tin-roofed house beside a paved village road. A Class VII student of Ayodhya Kalidasi Vidyapith, he balances his studies with his love for exploring the outdoors.
Running along paddy-field embankments, floating makeshift rafts in village ponds and collecting lotus flowers are among his favourite activities. He is also skilled at catching different varieties of fish, including shol, shati, magur and kanch, from muddy village water bodies.However, Sonai's greatest passion lies in sculpting with clay. Whenever he gets his hands on some soft clay, he immerses himself in creating different figures. He has already made idols of Goddess Saraswati, Lord Vishwakarma and Goddess Lakshmi, which he worshipped at home. This time, he has created an idol of Goddess Kali entirely on his own.
From shaping the idol to painting and decorating it, every part of the work has been done by the young artist himself.Even the intricate facial features of the goddess have been crafted without using any mould.Sonai is preparing for this year's Kali Puja in his own unique way. He has collected bamboo strips and poles to construct a small pandal and used household cloth to decorate it. The idol he has created will be worshipped in this makeshift shrine. Sonai says he does not need a priest for the puja, as he intends to perform the rituals himself.His father, Shankar Das, earns a modest living by cultivating paddy, mustard and jute on a small plot of land.
He also drives an e-rickshaw whenever he gets time. The family runs a small tea stall attached to their house, which Sonai's parents manage by taking turns.Surrounded by vast stretches of agricultural fields, Sonai appears to have found inspiration for his creativity in the simplicity and beauty of rural life.Described by his mother as a shy boy, Sonai does not speak much. However, she says that creating things out of clay is his favourite pastime. Unlike other children, he has little interest in toys or other playthings. Give him some clay, and he can spend hours shaping it into different figures, completely absorbed in his own creative world.
Sonai dreams of creating a much bigger Durga idol in the future and organising the puja himself. His extraordinary artistic ability at such a young age has already drawn the attention of villagers. Local residents believe that with proper encouragement, guidance and support, this young talent from Ayodhya village could take his artistic skills to greater heights in the years ahead.At an age when most children are busy playing with toys, Sonai Das has discovered his own world of creativity in the soil beneath his feet. His story is a heartwarming example of how talent and passion can flourish even without formal training or expensive resources.
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