Guwahati: An artist and field officer with the District Disaster Management Authority in Assam’s Dhubri district has created a 7.5-foot Durga idol using around 50,000 safety pins, blending creativity, patience and environmental awareness ahead of Durga Puja, which is only a few days away.Sanjib Basak completed the idol over a period of 90 to 100 days as part of his ongoing experiments with unusual and reusable materials, which he has been conducting since 2020 to give his Durga idols a distinctive character. The idol is meant for display and exhibition, not worship.“Even an ordinary material can be transformed into an extraordinary work of art through creativity and patience,” Basak said, explaining his choice of safety pins as the primary material for this year’s creation.Through the artwork, he aims to promote reuse, environmental awareness and responsible consumption, encouraging people to explore the creative possibilities of everyday objects instead of discarding them.Basak has been experimenting with unconventional materials for the past 14 to 15 years, using a different material each year to create his idols. His previous works included beads in 2025, shirt buttons in 2024, copper wire in 2023, plastic spoons in 2022, Covid-19 vaccine ampoules in 2021, and expired tablets and capsules in 2020.The safety pins used for this year’s idol were purchased from local markets, he said. Thermocol, bamboo, cardboard and other materials were also used to provide structural support, shape and finishing, while the safety pins form the main visible element, he added.Basak said his objective goes beyond creating an unusual piece of art. He seeks to use each creation as a medium to convey a social or environmental message, demonstrating how unconventional materials can be repurposed through artistic innovation.His work has also drawn interest from Durga Puja committees outside Dhubri, including the Rashmi Sangha Puja Committee, which has approached him to create similar unconventional idols.
