Prayagraj: No orders for idols, artisans sit idle in peak season

PRAYAGRAJ: Kolkata-based artisans, who sculpt idols of Hindu deities ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, Vishwakarma Puja and Durga Puja, are without work and wages this year.
Since preparations for Ganesh Utsav, Vishwakarma Jayanti and Durga Puja usually begin at this time of the year, these artisans used to be busy moulding clay into figurines, and embellishing them with brush and colours in hand. But this year, the atmosphere in their workshops near Bhardwaj Ashram road is gloomy.
Tapas Pal, whose three generations have been in the trade of sculpting, told TOI on Wednesday, "The corona pandemic has hit us also. We have been witnessing the worst situation ever this year since the lockdown."
"We usually start getting Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja orders from February-end and start purchasing raw material like clay, stacks of bamboo poles, wood, dry grass, hay, ornaments, clothes and decorative items for the idols by March. This year we have not received any major order for big idols," he added.
"This year, people are asking for small idols of Lord Ganesha for their homes during Ganesh festival. Most of the artisans left for their native village in West Bengal after lockdown and do not have a reason to return," Tapas claimed.
"This is the peak season for us artisans as most Hindu festivals begin after mid- July. We used to get orders for around 100 Lord Ganesha big idols, but this year orders are few and that too for small idols. Local puja committees have also not placed any orders for idols till now due to the Corona crisis as they don’t know whether administration would allow puja celebrations or not," he added.
Another artisan Manas said, "I have received few orders so far, but the customers are not interested in big idols. This year, we too are facing a major dent in our income. Last year, we earned a handsome amount this month."
The government should offer some economic assistance to idol makers also, he added