Shyam Moorti Kala Kendra

Over here at Plot No. 591 in Shivaji Nagar, Jhotwara, things are always a bit chaotic. We’re not too far from Shastri Nagar, and the area is usually humming with activity. Shyam Moorti Kala Kendra is basically a large shed where we spend our time carving and painting idols. There’s no fancy entrance or polished floor. Instead, you’ll find buckets of paint, bags of stone dust, and brushes scattered everywhere. It’s a place where we work hard and don’t worry too much about the mess. During festival seasons, the place gets incredibly crowded with finished pieces waiting to be picked up. We often work late into the night under a few bright bulbs just to stay on top of things. My hands are rarely clean, and my clothes usually have spots of paint on them by midday. We’ve been at this plot for a few years now, and the neighbors are used to the sound of our work. It’s not the kind of place where you’d expect a corporate office; it’s a workshop through and through. We don't have a formal way of doing things. We just start working in the morning and stop when we’re tired. If you come by, you’ll probably find us sitting on low stools, focused on whatever piece is in front of us. It’s just honest, local work that keeps us going every day.