VISAKHAPATNAM: With just a few days left for Ganesh Chaturthi, artisans in the city are busy making idols, using clay, mostly. Almost 90 per cent of the artisans are making clay idols. This, sources say, has been due to the awareness campaigns undertaken to encourage use of clay, instead of Plaster of Paris, for making idols of Ganesh. However, with the increase in clay price and lack of availability of quality sand and other materials, the artisans are procuring raw materials from other places and this has resulted in an increase in the prices of idols.
Around 35-40 centres in the city are making Ganesh idols and for this the persons running these centres have brought artisans from West Bengal. As per the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2010, restricting the use of Plaster of Paris for making idols, there has been continuous campaign to make artisans opt for clay idols.
According to the artisans, the cost of clay has increased because it has to be transported from other places. Moreover, binding grass and wood required to make the idols are brought from Kolkata and this is also an expensive proposition. “We bring clay from Kolkata to get the proper shine and stiffness and are using biodegradable natural colours. Though the customers bargain for a very low price, we sell them only at a price, which will bring us profit,” said an artisan, who has come from West Bengal.
The idols cost from `4,000 to `50,000, depending on the size and decoration. While a 3 ft idol costs approximately `4,000, a 12 ft idol costs `35,000. Those who plan to instal a bigger idol usually give orders a month prior to the festival and the artisans are paid the amount in advance. “We get clay from Pendurthi area and that is very costly.
This time we are making idols depending on the orders we get because not many are ready to pay high price and instead bargain for low price. We get artisans from West Bengal and they stay here for a few months and make around 100-150 idols. So, unless they go back with some profits, they won’t come back next time,” said Narsinga Rao, who makes idols at Dondaparthy area.
Meanwhile, there are also many NGOs conducting clay-idol-making programmes in schools in the city. Children are taught to make small Ganesh idols on their own and they take those home. There are also seed Ganesh idols made by Paryavarana Margadarsi Vaisakhi at many schools and colleges. Such idols are made with clay and seeds of 21 kinds of medicinal plants used for Ganesh Chaturthi puja are inserted in them. After celebrations these idols can be immersed in a pot or kept in a garden, where medicinal plants will grow.
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