Ganesh puja artisans rue hike in input cost

JHARSUGUDA: With Ganesh Puja round the corner, artisans in industrial district burn midnight oil to give final touches to the finely sculpted idols of the deity.

However, idol-making business is no longer a lucrative livelihood option despite increased demand.  

Sources reveal that owing to the seasonal nature of the business and soaring prices of raw materials, a lot of artisans are switching over to alternative means of employment.

Jharsuguda-based famous clay artist Sashibhusan Singh said he had spent half his life creating some of the best idols that have been displayed in Ganesh Utsav festivities over the years but is disappointed this year due to sudden increase in cost of production.

“The prices of raw materials required to make idols of wood, bamboo, coir, straw, paint and cotton cloth have gone up by almost 40 per cent since last year. Even with a higher market price for idols, the margins have gone down considerably for artisans and sculptors,” he said.

Another artist Rajesh Pandit explained that idol makers charge Rs 500 to Rs 10,000 for each Ganesh idol.

Keeping the profile of customers in mind, the final prices leave little scope for sculptors to earn profits. Earlier, idol-making offered good scope to earn a decent income after a long idle period for artistes.