Concerted efforts by authorities and the growing environmental consciousness among the public have created an increasing demand for eco-friendly clay idols of Ganesha in Mysuru, in the run up to the festival to be celebrated on Monday, September 18.
So much so that even the colours used, in many cases, tend to be vegetable dye-based and diluted with water. As a result a majority of the traditional clay artisans specialising in the making of Ganesha idols have switched to the eco-friendly forms and eschew using any chemicals including paints.
There are nearly 100 clay artisans in Mysuru who cater to the festival requirement and make Ganesha idols. All of them have switched to making clay idols. The demand for clay idols devoid of colours is growing with each passing year and this is in sharp contrast when the concept of colourless idols were introduced some years ago.
‘’There is hardly any traditional artisan in Mysuru who does not manufacture eco-friendly idols given the demand. I can confidently say that idols made of plaster-of-paris and those laced with chemical paints are on the retreat as the popularity of the eco-friendly idols is on the rise,’’ said Puttaswamy, a traditional artisan near Kanikaparameshwari Temple on the Ashoka Road
However, large idols kept in public places tend to be the Mumbai-styled Ganesha idols with rich colours and they are chemical paints and not vegetable-dye based water colours. In a city like Mysuru, public display of large-sized Ganesha idols is not a trend and hence, their numbers are small.
The bulk of the demand for eco-friendly Ganesha idols stems from households and the environmental drive in educational institutions and by NGOs has over the years helped create consciousness among the people of becoming more eco-friendly.
In a bid to promote and uphold their collective interest, the traditional artisans manufacturing clay idols formed an association a few years ago and they too are promoting the eco-friendly concept, said Mr. Putaswamy who is the vice president of the association.
Major places in Mysuru where Ganesha idols are manufactured include Kumbarageri, Hebbal, Kesara, Ramakrishna Nagar, Kuvempunagar etc. and the present batch of artisans have inherited a family tradition. Ganesha idol manufacturing generates employment to nearly 1,200 to 1,500 people for about 6 months in a year.
The clay is procured from lake beds and from backwaters and the artisans have complained of steady increase in the price as a result of which the cost of finished has also gone up, according to Revanna, another clay artisan. But not withstanding the price rise there is no dearth of demand for eco-friendly Ganesha idols which are also sent to other districts.
Meanwhile, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has also cautioned vendors against stocking or selling PoP idols in view of the environmental hazard.
