Rush before Ganesha festival: Artist Manjunath Hiremath giving the finishing touch to a Ganesha idols in Dharwad
Around 250 large idols are set to be installed in public pandals this year, besides thousands of smaller idols for household worship. Hiremath alone has received orders for nearly 1,000 household idols and more than 100 large idols for Ganesha Mahamandals. An eight-foot clay idol takes nearly 60 hours to complete, including sculpting, drying and applying two coats of water-based paint. Many organisers who traditionally installed 10-12 ft idols have opted for eight-foot idols this year. To enforce the ban, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), in coordination with police, has formed 12 special enforcement teams.
Meanwhile, KSPCB, in association with the school education department, has launched awareness drives in schools, encouraging children and families to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with eco-friendly clay idols. Stay updated with the latest Hubballi news.
Senior artisan Manjunath Hiremath said crafting clay idols requires specialised skills and patience. “I have been making Ganesha idols since immediately after Deepavali, but now we are working over 16 hours a day to complete pending orders,” he said. Artisans said eco-friendly raw materials are costlier and often unavailable locally, forcing them to procure supplies from outside the district.
Dharwad : With Ganesh Chaturthi just a week away, clay idol makers in Hubballi-Dharwad are working round the clock to meet soaring demand as authorities strictly enforce the ban on plaster of paris (PoP) idols. The twin cities, particularly Dharwad, host one of North Karnataka’s largest Ganeshotsav celebrations after Belagavi and Hubballi. The ban on PoP idols, aimed at protecting lakes and other waterbodies from pollution, has triggered a complete shift towards eco-friendly clay idols. However, artisans say the transition has exposed a shortage of skilled workers, as clay idol-making is significantly more labour-intensive and time-consuming. Despite the challenges, they have welcomed the administration’s push for greener celebrations. Drought conditions and rising prices of essential commodities have also affected festivities. Several Ganesha Mahamandals have reduced idol sizes and curtailed spending. The squads are conducting surprise inspections of workshops and markets to seize PoP idols and those painted with chemical-based colours. Deputy Commissioner Snehal R has directed officials to implement the ban without exception and prevent the sale of prohibited idols. As the festival approaches, Dharwad’s artisans continue their race against time to keep tradition alive, one clay Ganesha at a time. Download the TOI App.