As gently as a father would brush his hand across a baby’s cheek, the potter caresses the face in front of him. No matter that this particular baby has blue skin and is considerably larger than the potter himself; there’s still a distinct softness, as well as a practised assurance, to the man’s movements as he smooths his cloth over the cheek of the giant statue of baby Krishna.

In most places, a giant statue of baby Krishna would be something to marvel at. Here, there are literally dozens of them on one stretch of street, all in various states of completion. We are strolling through the riverside district of Kumartuli – or “potters neighbourhood” – in Kolkata.