Kakinada: Ganesh idol makers hopeful of making profits this year

Kakinada: Vinayaka Chaturthi, which has been celebrated with great pomp and fervour, ceased to have its old glory due to Covid-19 pandemic for the last two years. However, Plaster of Paris (POP) Vinayaka idol makers are optimistic about their trade this year, who incurred heavy loss and they couldn't get back at least their minimum investment. But this year, they are hopeful about good profits.

The idol makers get the raw material from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and Odisha.

A POP idol maker SN Murthy told The Hans India that he has been in the field of making idols for the last 15 years, but unfortunately for the last two years they have been incurring huge losses owing to Covid19. However, he is optimistic about this year and hopes to secure good profits. But, the price of raw material and colour has shot up and naturally the prices of the idols will also be high. He said that they are manufacturing more than 200 different models of Vinayaka idols measuring about 3 to 8 ft.

Murthy said last year they bought colours for Rs 20,000 but this year they have to spend Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 for the same colours. Normally they pay Rs 300 to Rs 800 per day to local workers. But painters hailing from Rajasthan and Odisha are demanding a minimum of Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 depending on the type of the statue. "As local painters do not have the skill and talent like the painters from Rajasthan and Odisha, we have to pay heavy wages for them," he informed.

Murthy said that this year their investment has gone up from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 12 lakh and expecting a profit of Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh. But if the government enforces strict rules in view of Covid 19 again, they would incur loss this year also.

The price of a Vinayaka idol depends on its size and also on single or multi-colour. Single colour idol will costs from Rs 1,500 to Rs 15,000 and a multi-colour idols cost from Rs 2,500 to Rs 35,000. He said that they will be sitting fingers crossed after giving final touches to Vinayaka idols within a fortnight of the festival.