Little cheer for idol makers this Vinayaka Chavithi

Orders have dried up because of restrictions imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

An elderly couple making Ganesha idols at Kummari Veedhi in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.

Idol makers in the city are busy giving final touches to idols of Lord Ganesha, with just two days to go for the Vinayaka Chavithi festival.

However, the usual atmosphere of festivity and cheer has now made way for gloom at the artisans’ workshops as idols remain unsold due to restrictions imposed on celebrations by the government in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kummari Veedhi, Allipuram, Simhachalam and One Town are some of the areas where idol makers are concentrated.

“Two to three days before the festival, people would start coming in from various places to buy idols. There would be long negotiations and haggling over the prices, people would be taking pictures of the idols and we would be on our feet for hours handling customers. This year, it is different. Business has taken a severe hit and we are staring at unsold idols with only two days left for the festival,” said K. Gangamma, a resident of Kummari Veedhi.

Small is big

Every year, artisans prepare Ganesh idols of different sizes. But after the State Government issued orders restricting public celebrations in pandals, idol makers were forced to restrict themselves to making mostly clay idols of small sizes for homes.

A number of NGOs and startups have placed orders for small Ganesha idols to gift to their dear ones. A number of people have set up stalls and are selling small clay idols at several places.

“Due to restrictions, people are asking for clay Ganesha idols which can be immersed in a tub or bucket at one’s home itself. We have been receiving a few bulk orders, but it is nothing compared to last year. Vinayaka Chavithi is the only major festival in the year where we earn a substantial amount of money, but this pandemic has left us in the lurch,” said Madhavi, an idol maker from Simhachalam.

There are some who have placed orders for Ganesha idols that are three feet in height. Artisans from Rajasthan have been working on idols at some parts in the city. Though there is no permission for setting up of idols in public places, it is learnt that people from apartments and group houses have ordered such idols to organise the festival and immerse the idol the next day.

No public celebrations

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Aishwarya Rastogi said that no permission will be given to people to organise Vinayaka Chavithi by setting up pandals at public places. The DCP also appealed to people to organise the festival at their homes by following social distancing protocols.

“There should be no gatherings or processions in view of the pandemic. Action will be taken against those violating norms,” he said.

Meanwhile, the district police have also been creating awareness among the people in the rural areas, telling them that there is no permission for setting up of pandals in public places.