The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Arrival of Ganesh idols hit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 24, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Arrival of Ganesh idols hit

Special Correspondent

Areas where traditional artisans live have been affected by floods

FESTIVAL TIME AGAIN: Ganesh idols on sale at Pottery Town for Vinayaka Chaturti which is on Sunday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Bangalore: Floods in north Karnataka and Maharashtra have done more than damage crops, roads and buildings. They have affected the arrival of Ganesh idols for the ensuing Vinayaka Chaturti. The clay models are made by traditional artisans in those parts and brought to Bangalore and other urban centres.

This year, very few idols have arrived in the market according to traders in places such as Ulsoor bazaar, Malleswaram and Gandhi Bazaar.

One of the idol sellers in Ulsoor said: "Usually we get around 200 to 300 idols. Households prefer idols made of clay, which can be easily immersed even in a bucket of water or in a pond. It is only in places such as Chickpet and Taragupet that you get the larger idols, often made of plaster of Paris."

Artisans from the northern districts and Maharashtra used to come to Bangalore, camp for a week prior to the festival and make idols using the special moulds which each family or clan traditionally uses. While the idols are made of clay, some are brightly painted while others have only the ornaments and headgear painted. Idols of both Ganesha and Gowri are bought by most families for offering puja during the festival.

According to traders in the older city areas, more idols are expected to come by rail and on trucks over the next few days. "The tallest idol ordered by and made for a festival committee this year is almost 18-foot tall and may weigh around 200 kg. We don't want to name the area it will be kept in, the organisers will tell the media themselves," an idol seller said.

"Idols from Kolhapur with intricate ornamentation are popular but few have reached here so far," he said.

Festival committees usually book the idols weeks in advance but this has become rare this year, traders said.

The prices of most idols will be considerably high this year.

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