This time organisers of ‘Vinayaka Chavithi’ will have to shell out more as the prices of huge Ganesh idols went up in the city. The 11-day colourful festival will begin on August 29. Artisans say the cost of idols measuring eight-feet to 12-feet high increased by 30 per cent this festival season. The cost is ranging from Rs.11,000 to Rs.12,000 per idol as against Rs.8,000 to Rs.10,000 last year. They attribute this to the steep rise in the cost of raw materials like Plaster of Paris (PoP), colours, bamboo sticks, coir etc that go into the making of idols.
According to artisans, at least 20 kg of PoP is required for making a 10-ft high idol and the cost of each PoP bag weighing 25 kg is Rs.260. The price of colours has also gone up significantly. “We are purchasing a 100 ml colours bottle for Rs.200 and one can image the expenditure that making the idols with a wide array of costly colours entails,” explains an idol maker Dhuya Ram from Nidamanuru. Escalating prices of raw material have forced the idol makers to increase the idols cost. On an average, a group of half a dozen artisans can make five idols everyday using PoP, coir and bamboo sticks. This season, artisans made idols of Lord Ganesh sitting on Lotus, Nandi (bull) and throne.
The idol of Ganesh sitting with Lord Siva and Parvati will be one of the attractions during this festival.
“We are leaving no stone unturned to make idols akin to those made in Dhoolpet in Hyderabad,” Mr. Ram claims, adding that festival organisers from Gannavaram, Vijayawada, Ramavarappadu, Eluru, Nidamanuru, Kesarapalli and other areas will start placing orders soon after ‘Rakshabandhan’ festival.
