Other States - Puducherry   

Idol-makers look to bright sales

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

Ganesha idols are all set to flood the markets in Puducherry in view of Vinayaka Chathurti.

PUDUCHERRY: With Vinayaka Chathurti just a week away, idol-makers from various parts of Puducherry are a busy lot. Working on different types and sizes of idols, they expect good sales this festival season.

For P. Sakthivel, idol-maker for the last 35 years, clay was the best material to make the idols. “Nothing can come close to clay. I make five to six models of idols such as Ganesha seated on a lotus flower,” he said. Making around 20 one-foot idols a day, Mr. Sakthivel looks forward to good sales and also plans to make 3.5-foot idols. “The idols will cost from Rs. 50 to Rs. 200,” he said.

Deivasigamani, another idol-maker for over 40 years, also prefers to use only clay for making idols. “I will make idols up to 1.5 feet in height. People prefer clay idols and last year, we had a good business,” he said, making a mould sitting on Kosakadai Street.

Idol-makers from various parts of Puducherry, especially the surrounding villages, are all set to put up stalls for Vinayaka Chathurti. There would be stalls of around 20 idol-makers each at Kosakadai, Lawspet, Muthialpet, Villianur and several other areas, idol-makers said.

“Some will bring the idols in lorries for sale two days before the day of the festival,” they said, adding that the sales have been increasing every year.

While one-foot clay idols cost Rs. 25 to Rs. 30 and two-foot idols Rs. 60 to Rs. 100, those made out of plaster of paris cost from Rs. 300 to Rs. 5,000, based on the colours.

Usually, plaster of paris idols were purchased for processions, said P. Jyothi, another idol-maker.

“The orders have started coming from today [Wednesday]. After making the mould, it will take at least three days to complete a two-foot high idol,” he said.

B. Dayalan makes idols not only out of clay but also plastic, fibre and metal, as per the preference of his customers.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Idol-makers look to bright sales
Power shutdown
Second phase of counselling from September 1
Centre flayed for not consulting scientists over nuclear deal
University library all set for revamp, says VC

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu