While many people may find it difficult to spend 14 days in a quarantine facility, a sculptor has utilised his time in once such facility to show off his skills.

Mallappa Badiger, 28, a native of Lokapur village, sculpted an idol of Lord Ganesha during his stay at the government-run Morarji Desai Residential School in the village where he was quarantined along with his wife and two children.

Mr. Badiger’s wife had gone to her native place in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra for delivery. Three months later, Mr. Badiger went to Ratnagiri to bring her back.

“As per an earlier Government Order, all people returning from Maharashtra had be in institutional quarantine for 14 days. If they tested COIVID-19 negative, they could be sent home. Since the Badiger family had arrived from Maharashtra, they were kept in the institutional quarantine facility,” said Subhash Golashetty, Panchayat Development Officer of Lokapur.

Zilla panchayat CEO Gangubai Mankar happened to visit the facility and made casual enquiry with the people staying there. “Mr. Badiger told the CEO that he was a professional stone sculptor and requested her to arrange for delivery of a piece of stone and sculpting tools from his home so that he could spend time productively,” Mr. Golashetty said.

Based on his request, a piece of stone and tools were given to him at the facility where he began sculpting the idol. He made an idol which is around one-ft. tall and eight-inch wide.

Mr. Badiger was in quarantine between May 17 and June 1 till his report came as negative.

“The Lokapur Gram Panchayat decided to buy the idol, and paid ₹10,000 to the artist. It will be installed inside the GP office in Lokapur,” Mr. Golashetty said.