As the city is gearing up for Ganesha Chathurthi on Friday, the clay artisans of Kosapet are a busy lot. They are churning out clay idols of all sizes by the thousands for the festival.
Buyers are lining up on the narrow streets of the locality, which is the city’s hub of clay artisans, to choose the best of what is on offer.
E. Rajendran, an artisan of Kosapet, says though many artisans also make painted, oven-fired idols, most people still prefer raw clay idols since they are environment friendly. “With the Pollution Control Board stressing upon the use of environment-friendly idols, even those who install large idols are now opting for those made of papier-mâché and sago powder,” he said.
Since Kosapet does not have space for making such large idols, many artisans buy them from elsewhere. Every year, over 1,000 idols grace pandals across the city and the artisans ensure that these are not made of plaster of Paris, which does not dissolve in water, explains Mr. Rajendran, who has procured his stock of large-sized Ganesha idols from Tirupathi.
“Orders are placed two months in advance and when the idols are ready, we bring them by lorry and keep them covered in plastic sheets. I have phoned my regular customers to choose from the line-up of idols,” says A. Ravichandran, another artisan, as he gently touches up the eyes of a pink Ganesha idol.
G. Gopi of Perungudi plans to install a 5.5 feet tall Ganesha idol in Kannagi Nagar. “The idols I saw are priced from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 25,000 and are up to 4 feet tall. The idol alone will cost Rs. 12,000 and then there is the cost of making the food for distribution and puja till it is immersed,” he says.
Apart from clay idols, some shops also sell Ganesha idols made of leaves and other eco-friendly materials.
