Ganesha idol-makers stare at bleak future

Tirupati: About Rs 4 crore turnover per Ganesh Chaturthi season every year, flow of customers from four states, livelihood for 130 families, each season is worth their livelihood for the whole year. This is the life of Ganesh idol makers from a small colony in Mangalam on the outskirts of Tirupati.

But all their dreams have become history for now as they are left with Rs 1.30 crore businesses loans in Grameena bank, a huge sum of gold and other sundry loans, hundreds of semi-finished Ganesh idols with no buyers.

The Ganesh idol makers in Bommala colony near Tirupati, which is famous for conceptual and artistic idol-making are leading a miserable life this year. While the coronavirus pandemic has slowed down the development across various sectors, its impact seemed to have sounded the death knell for traditional crafts and small businesses.

This Bommala colony, which used to be choc a block with customers ahead of the auspicious Ganesh Chaturthi festival, wears a deserted look. An unending line of Ganeshas stare at an uncertain future along with its residents as the colonists rely only on this business.

By this time every year, they would receive huge amounts as advances to make various thematic Ganesh idols of various sizes reflecting contemporary social issues.

This time around, no idol has been sold so far with only less than a fortnight left for the grand festival. "A few customers have approached us and offered some advances. As there is an uncertainty over allowing idols on streets continues, we are not able to complete the idols since they need no objection certificate from police and other officials," said the president of the colony S Tirumala Prasad Babu.

Speaking to The Hans India, Prasad Babu said that following their practice, they started preparing idols of various sizes from February and continued till May after which the uncertainty set in forcing them to stop everything. Already, they invested huge amounts on buying materials and prepared several idols which will not be useful for next year. "None of us knew any other work except this. We do not know how to lead the life till next season and clear the loans we took for this season," said another idol maker S Lakshman.

They used draw about 30 per cent of their customers locally while the remaining are from other districts and neighbouring states. None of them is coming now. They are looking at the government for some relief measures like reducing the rate of interest at least by half on their loans in Grameena bank and 50 per cent subsidy on them with which can they survive till next season.

Interestingly, as they do not go anywhere and do any other work, the colony was so far free from Covid-19 infection though all their surrounding areas have reported several cases. They are not even allowing others to enter their colony.