HUBBALLI: As you enter Bhooswarga keri in Karki village, you will literally see a ‘heaven on earth’ (Bhooswarga). For, you have to weave your way through rows of Ganesha idols lined up on every street in this tiny keri (hamlet) in Honnavar taluk, Uttara Kannada district.People make a beeline for this hamlet just to see hundreds of clay idols being made. Meet the Bhandari brothers, who mould the idols. The family has been making Ganesha idols for at least three generations. They make about 400 Ganesha idols.
The Bhandaris get busy at the beginning of the monsoon when they set out to look for the right clay. Locally called as Jedi mannu (black clay), the idols are made using mostly eco-friendly materials and colours.The senior in the family, Ramchandra Bhandari (66), has been making the idols since his childhood. They trace the occupation back to their grandfather.“The monsoons in Ghats used to be rough and we used to get holidays. During those days I started helping my father doing small jobs while the elders used to make idols. Most of the youngsters in the family learn the work in the same way. Barring one family whose children have settled in Bengaluru, seven members of Bhandari family are involved in making idols even today,” says Ramchandra.
“My grandfather used to make idols where Ganesha used to be in a seated position. This year we have created two replicas of Ganesha idols which used to be made by our grandfather. The local Ganesha Mandali in Honnavar has placed orders for the traditional Ganeshas. With every generation, a few changes have been brought in making of the idols, but the making style has remained more or less the same. We use dry haystack along with the mud procured from Sirsi and Kumta,” he says.
Suresh Bhandari, the younger brother, it’s become challenging to hold on to the profession. “Many people applaud our work but bargain when it comes to price. A five- foot-tall Ganesha idol costs Rs 9,000-10,000,” he says. He suggests that the government think of welfare measures for traditional idol makers.
“We do not use wooden pieces or iron rods to support the idol. The buyers are made aware about the style and possible finishing looks by showing some old idols and photographs. Many buyers come with pictures taken from the internet and we make idols accordingly. For gold ornaments on a few idols, we use oil paints,” he explains.“After making a rough model, we keep the idol under the sun for eight to ten days. Once the clay is set with normal drying in the sun, it is ready for the paint. It takes about 3-4 days to finish the idol after that,” he says.(amit@newindianexpress.com)
ALL IN THE FAMILY
Seven brothers of Bhandari family are involved in making handmade clay Ganesha idols for decades in Karki village of Honnavar taluk
Idols made here are sent to many parts of Uttara Kannada district and outside
Idols made mostly using natural colours and materials
Clay is procured from Heggarani village in Sirsi as it is difficult to procure the right clay for idols
Idols are minimum 5-foot tallSecond profession
After the festival, most family members get back to the second profession. While senior Bhandari is known for making musical instruments like Mrundangam, Suresh Bhandari runs a stationery shop in Karki village.