Idol industry’s feeling downcast due to ban

Even as they are busy preparing for the upcoming festival, the mood among the artisans crafting Ganesh idols is sombre.

Though innovative desi6gns and concepts are being implemented, the workers are stressed because of an uncertain future.

With a blanket ban on the use of Plaster of Paris (PoP) from 2012, the craftsmen fear for their daily meal as majority of the 2,000-odd families depend totally on idol making for their livelihood.

Ganpat Bhati of Vijay Art near Passport Office, apart from making sculptures and creating 100-odd kalash for Swarnim Gujarat celebrations, makes Ganesh idols up to eight feet high. This year, his workers have prepared 'Rathwadi,' a unique combination where Lord Ganesh is seated on a chariot anchored by lions and being driven by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. "This would be approximately eight feet in length and will look very eye-catching. Every year, we try and come up with new designs but that may stop from next year," he says.

"Clay idols require lot of maintenance and are easily exposed to cracks. No devotee would buy an idol which has cracks. Also, we need skilled labourers who can work on such clay models. All of us only know how to make idols using PoP."

The craftsmen claim that there will be a sharp rise in the cost of production from next year as clay idols can't be produced in bulk through moulds. "Every year, on an average, we make close to 200 idols but from next year we won't have more than 125 idols ready. We can't use the mould we use for PoP and every clay idol needs to be hand-made," says Manu Parmar, a craftsman.

Citing an example, Dhana Makwana, who has been making idols for decades, says, "Presently, a five-and-a-half foot idol made of PoP costs Rs11,000 but the clay idol will cost around Rs35,000."
The workers said they requested the authorities to make artificial arrangements for immersing idols but nothing was done. "We requested them to take a cue from Mumbai's suburban areas. If the artificial arrangements are made, then the problem can be solved."

Ratilal Makwana, who is working on an idol of Lord Ganesh, flanked by Indian players with the World Cup, expresses resentment. "We do not have accounts in banks; we mortgage our land to take loans. We do not have excess money to purchase clay and I wonder if mandals will pay high amounts next year. Though, I'm working on a World Cup-winning idol, it seems we have lost the battle."