The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Terracotta idols in demand

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Friday, Sep 10, 2010
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Terracotta idols in demand

Nivedita Ganguly

Moulded by Rajasthan artists, they come in varied sizes and moods

Lalchand, an artist, makes eco-friendly idols with clay from Rajasthan
The price range is between Rs. 50 and Rs. 1,000, depending upon the size

Deft movements:Artists from Rajasthan busy giving the finishing touches to eco-friendly Ganesh idols in Visakhapatnam.

VISAKHAPATNAM: The nimble hands deftly give artistic forms to the idols. Eyes remain focused, observing every minute detail of the idol. With the 10-day carnival all set to begin, the master artistes have set up their temporary establishments in the city with rows of Ganesha idols.

Busiest period

As eco-friendly clay idols make their way into the exuberant festive revelry, for Lalchand and his family members this is the busiest period of the year. Toiling throughout the day, they lend the finishing touches to the rows of Ganesha idols at their makeshift stall on Andhra University road opposite HP office. Carving exquisite Ganesha idols draped in moulds of clay, Lalchand believes in this simple but eco-friendly philosophy. He and his family members come to the city every year from Jodhpur in Rajasthan two months before Deepavali and sell their clay idols in mesmerising forms and shapes.

This year, the Rajasthani artists have made 200 medium and big sized idols and some 800 small idols. “The sale has been good this year. Many people are going for terracotta Ganeshas this year,” says Lalchand, as he counts the series of idols at his pavement stall. His idols are made of fine clay from Rajasthan that are eco-friendly and also have a distinct appeal.

A variety of forms of the Lord are found here. Moulded into terracotta with an unerring eye for perfection, Ganesha is depicted in varying sizes and in myriad moods: dancing, playing on musical instruments, walking, meditating or reclining. And they range from Rs.50 to Rs.1,000, depending on the size. While the artisans do incur losses during transportation, the growing demand for eco-friendly terracotta idols has brought a smile on their faces. “Clay idols do not create any environmental pollution. We hope that more people will come forward and help us spread the message by picking up the terracotta idols,” says Lalchand.

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