Finally, September is here. “This month would not be a nightmare” will be the prayers among the thousands of artisan families. All their hopes rest on this month, as it decides whether their nine months of effort will safeguard or sabotage them. This month marks one of India’s most vibrant festivals, “Vinayagar Chathurthi.” The word itself creates a vibe of celebration, with idols placed on the streets, worshipped, and immersed in water bodies amid cheerful processions. Many states in India celebrate this festival as a 10-day occasion, but in states like Tamil Nadu, it concludes within 3 days. The first day is marked by the installation of idols, followed by rituals and celebrations on the second day, and the immersion on the third. But would you believe that this three-day occasion is backed by nine months of non-stop effort? We may have seen many Ganesh idols adorned with lights during the procession, but for a change, let’s shine a light on the ongoing efforts behind this one-day celebration.
Price Boom – The Elephant in the Room!
Mr. Inkwing from Inksights flew to Kondayampettai, an area near Thiruvanaikovil, Trichy, which is a hub for Lord Ganesh idols. He spoke to a few artisans, and this is what Mr. Inkwing was told: “There were times before COVID-19 when even soil could bring you pounds. But now, the soil can’t bring you anything, just like our lives. Price hikes are the main issue, not only in crafts but in every business. Imagine an idol priced at ₹8000; people don’t know that the production cost alone is ₹7000 now. Let the people decide the expense for space rent, electricity, and labor charges,” said Saravana Kumar, a fourth-generation artisan. He added to the woes of price hikes by saying that the sand they bought from the government online was sold at ₹6000 per unit. He alleged that they could usually produce 250-300 idols per unit, but the sand sold by the government can produce only 75-80 idols after the usual cleaning. He pleaded with the government to lower the sand price to encourage craftsmanship among artisans and also listed the price hikes as follows:
| Quantity | Material | Before COVID-19 | After COVID-19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kg | Paper pulp | ₹6.50 | ₹24 |
| 2 kg | Cement paper | ₹10 | ₹170 (1 Tonne - ₹85,000) |
| 1 Packet | Skin Molding | ₹250 - ₹290 | 1 Tonne - ₹75,000 - ₹80,000 |
| 10 litre | Paint | ₹850 | ₹1500 - ₹1800 |
| 10 Years ago | 5 Years ago | Now |
|---|---|---|
| ₹350 - ₹400 | ₹700 | ₹2500 - ₹3000 |
Manikandan, a three-decade artisan, said that
getting clay, a prominent raw material, has become tough after several
governmental processes. The upcoming generations are shifting to other
professions, which will eventually lead to the wrap-up of the craft.
Kondayampettai: From Pride to Pitty
While Mr.
Inkwing was keen on knowing about Kondayampettai, he was said that initially, a
few of the 60 families in this area made earthenware, Amman statues, hundiyals,
and agni satties for Samayapuram. Over time, they slightly scaled their
business by making Ganesh idols. Eventually, the entire community took up idol
making, and Kondayampettai emerged as a significant hub for Ganesh idols across
the state. People from Musiri, Namakkal, Thanjavur, Kulithalai, Kumbakonam, and
Salem prefer Kondayampettai as their go-to choice. “But now, out of 75
families, only 30 are still crafting. The other 40 families have moved to other
jobs as daily wage workers, construction workers, auto drivers, and housemaids.
Many families who remain in this art form sell their crafts with no profit,
just to sustain their hereditary occupation. Many borrow money at high interest
rates to invest in raw materials and end up with unsold idols, which adds a
huge burden. They are forced to sell the idols to pay the interest,” sighed
Saravana Kumar.
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| A craftman giving the finishing touches to the idol |
Clay to Craft:
Mr. Inkwing tried to lift from their misery by asking them to explain the craft process. Saravana Kumar, with a smile, started, “Generally, we buy paper pulp from Erode and skin molding materials, tapioca flour from Salem. Initially, we make a mold with clay mixed with cement. Then we add a coating of tapioca flour and finally the paper pulp. It takes two to three days to get a mold ready. We usually begin the work around January 14, and it continues until September. Nine months pass just like that. To survive during the rest of the months, we work in construction, make earthenware, and so on.”
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| A craftman on the idol making process |
“Chop off the PoP”
Responding to the government ban on Plaster of Paris (PoP), Saravana Kumar said that the artisan community wholeheartedly welcomes this step since PoP pollutes water bodies and poses a hazard to aquatic creatures. Producing idols with clay and tapioca flour allows them to submerge quickly and become food for the fish, he added. Manikandan alleged that some families still make idols with PoP in the outskirts of Trichy and Thanjavur. He also mentioned that the arrival of migrant workers is becoming normalized in this craft. Some of them use PoP because it is cheaper and allows for the production of more idols than clay. They sell those idols at a reasonable profit margin, attracting customers. Meanwhile, we are left empty-handed despite following government guidelines.
“Support will be Our Solatium”
Manikandan says that some customers pay only ₹500 - ₹1000 as an advance for a ₹10,000 idol. There are the worst situations where we wait for them until the festival morning and end up unable to reach them. We are forced to store those idols for another year, which eventually lose their fresh look under varying climatic conditions. Also, there is a decline in customer interest in installing idols on the street due to various regulations and skyrocketing prices. There are some welfare boards for the community, which provide ₹5000 a year to some families, but with the condition that the recipient cannot receive any other government schemes such as Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai. The poor response from the authorities has made us not expect any compensation from either the state or central governments, Saravana Kumar said. A permanent place for making idols, providing compensation and loans with minimal interest, and easy access to clay and soil are our pleas to the government, Manikandan concluded with grief.
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| The unsold idols |
By the way, Mr. Inkwing visited the spot just a few days before the festival and observed that there were no customers during his visit. Many left in silence after hearing the price quote.