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Multiple forms of Ganesha
A replica of Suseendram Vigneshwari
AGIANT-SIZED image of Lord Ganesha greets visitors to the Poompuhar Showroom on Big Bazaar Street. All around the shop are images of the benevolent deity, with hand upraised to bestow a blessing upon ardent devotees.
With Vinayagar Chaturthi just round the corner, Poompuhar has organised an exhibition of Ganesha images suitable for every family that is preparing to celebrate the festival.
This year, the exhibition will be open at the showroom from 9.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. everyday, except Sundays. There will be a 10 per cent festival discount for all images of Ganesha bought at the exhibition. Incidentally, Poompuhar is the popular name for the Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd., a Government of India undertaking, which has been promoting the talents of skilled artisans by helping them manufacture and market a host of products that combine artistic merit with utility value.
One of the main attractions at this year's exhibition is the unique depiction of ``Vigneswari'', based on the stone carving on a temple pillar at the famous Suseendram Temple near Nagercoil.
Poompuhar's rendering of the spiritually inspiring sculpture is a colourfully painted, three-feet-high papier mache idol, with an excellent finish.
``We have Ganesha idols in a wide range of materials, to suit everyone,'' says V. Subbian, Manager, Poompuhar Sales Showroom. There were papier mache idols up to 10 feet tall, ranging in price from Rs. 52 to Rs. 7,300, besides plaster of paris images from Maharashtra, at prices up to Rs. 950.
Ganesha idols on display
``Poompuhar was the first to introduce the 32 forms of Lord Ganesha as a single set. About 25 years ago, we introduced forms depicting Ganesha playing a music instrument, and there were images in materials such as wood and bronze,'' he added.
With the idols proving to be very popular, craftsmen had begun producing Ganesha idols in a variety of new forms, depicting the benevolent deity speaking on a cellular phone, using a video camera, reading a book, and even working on a computer.
These images were quite popular, and much in demand.
Most of the papier mache idols had been made by artisans based in Kancheepuram, Chennai and Pondicherry, besides Coimbatore. Interestingly, one of the eight-feet-high images had been purchased even while it was being unloaded at the showroom.
On display in the showroom are panchaloha Vinayagars for the pooja room, priced between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 32,000. All sizes of brass images are there, at prices ranging from Rs. 72 to Rs. 600.
Besides these, are orderly rows of idols made of precious rosewood and fragrant sandalwood, besides deities made of granite, soft stone and semi-precious stone, in addition to the regular ones made of clay and marble dust.
Of special interest to devotees is a wide array of deities meticulously sculpted out of rare and costly materials such as coral, spadigam, sandstone, jade, ruby, blue sapphire, tiger's eye, moonstone, malachite, lapis lazuli, blue sandstone, amethyst (suganthi), garnet (sevvanthi), and pearl.
While the smallest of these divine images is tagged at Rs. 150, the rarer and costlier idols are priced higher, up to a maximum of Rs. 4,000.
For those looking for other artefacts, Poompuhar has placed on display a collection of brass lamps, besides Thanjavur paintings and art plates, all featuring the deity.
By Michael Raj A. A.
Photos: K. Ananthan
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Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
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