📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Indrajit Das
Business
Shillong Idol-Makers Face Uncertain Future as Property Sale Threatens Their Workshop
✍️ India Today NE
🗓 16 Oct 2026, 12:35 PM
👁 21
In Shillong, a group of traditional idol makers are confronting a looming threat as the sale of their property could dismantle the workshop that has been the heart of their craft.
Shillong's traditional idol makers, who have crafted religious figures for decades, are facing an uncertain future after the owners of their shared property announced plans to sell the land. The sale would mean the loss of the workshop that houses the artisans' tools and storage for raw materials.
The artisans, many of whom are families that have passed the craft through generations, rely on the space to produce idols for festivals and temples across the region. Without a permanent base, they risk losing the infrastructure that supports their livelihood.
Local community leaders and cultural preservation groups have called for intervention, urging the government to step in and protect the heritage site. They argue that the workshop is not only a business hub but also a cultural landmark.
If the sale proceeds, the artisans may have to relocate or shut down, potentially erasing a unique craft tradition that has been part of Shillong's identity for over a century.
The artisans, many of whom are families that have passed the craft through generations, rely on the space to produce idols for festivals and temples across the region. Without a permanent base, they risk losing the infrastructure that supports their livelihood.
Local community leaders and cultural preservation groups have called for intervention, urging the government to step in and protect the heritage site. They argue that the workshop is not only a business hub but also a cultural landmark.
If the sale proceeds, the artisans may have to relocate or shut down, potentially erasing a unique craft tradition that has been part of Shillong's identity for over a century.