Hundreds of idol makers in Maharashtra are busy these days preparing idols of Lord Ganesh, ahead of his annual birthday celebrations.
Mumbai, Aug 18 : Hundreds of idol makers in Maharashtra are busy these days preparing idols of Lord Ganesh, ahead of his annual birthday celebrations.
The festival begins on September 15, and people throng shops to purchase these idols to grace households across the country.
Both skilled and unskilled labourers come to Mumbai to sculpt Ganesh idols. Over 20,000 artisans work in this city alone ahead of the annual festival, and the making of these idols starts months before.
"We have a systematic way of working. We start our work in May-June and make our idols date wise. Some of the clients take the idols 10 or 15 days in advance. So, we make the idols accordingly and deliver them," said Ratan Lal, an idol maker.
This year, there has been a slight increase in the price of the idols 15-20 feet idols, which were earlier priced between 20,000-30,000 rupees, would now cost anywhere between 25,000-40,000 rupees.
"This year we have made around fourteen big idols of around 12-22 feet high and around 350 small idols of 6 to 12 feet high," said Vijay Khatu, the owner of a workshop.
Some 7,500 registered organisations hold celebrations in public places in the city, while thousands opt for a more private and family affair.
Legend has it that Goddess Parvati, consort of Shiva, one of the three most powerful Gods in the Hindu pantheon, had created Ganesh from a perfumed putty-like substance, used to remove dirt from her body in an ancient self-cleansing ritual, the equivalent of a modern bath.
Shiva flew into rage on seeing the boy near the bath and beheaded him.
When he later realised the boy was created by Parvati to guard the bath, Shiva brought him back to life by slaying an elephant and giving him the animal's head.
Thus was created Ganesh who is revered at the beginning of every auspicious occasion.
In the modern era, celebrations relating to this ancient festival were given patriotic prominence by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a freedom fighter, who used it to unite Indians against British colonial rule in the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. The festival is also observed to seek Lord Ganesha's blessings for one's well-being and intellectual prowess, as he is regarded as the fount of both.
ANI