Generations of Mapusa’s Natekar family have dedicated their lives to crafting Ganesh idols

MAPUSA: With Ganesh Chaturthi just a month away, artisans are fully engrossed in crafting Ganesh idols, many of which are already hitting the market. Others race against time to complete their work by August 9, the day of Nagpanchami. Among them is 38-year-old Vipul Pramod Natekar, who, with his three workers, is fully occupied in the creation of clay Ganesh idols. According to Vipul, the three months leading up to Shravan are the busiest, dedicated entirely to this work. The rest of the year, he makes idols for other festivals and rents out costumes for dramas. The Natekar family of Mapusa is well-known for this craft, but during Ganesh festival preparations, everything else is set aside.

“Our work begins at the end of May with the first rains, when we purchase clay from Tivim. On average, we make about 250 idols each year, so we bring in enough clay to match the sizes needed. Once the clay arrives at our workshop, we begin crafting the idols, some entirely by hand and others using moulds,” Vipul explains.

The art of making Ganesh idols in the Natekar family was started by Vipul’s great-grandfather, Atmaram Shiva Natekar. His two sons, Vasant and Sonu Natekar, continued their father’s work, though separately. Vasant’s son, Pramod, and now Vipul, have carried on this tradition. Vipul proudly shares that his granduncle Sonu was an artist par excellence, having won numerous awards, including the Kala Gaurav award during the tenure of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.

“There are many customers who have been buying idols from us since my great-grandfather’s time when the price was just a few paise. We still offer them concessions because they feel like an extended family to us,” Vipul says. Vipul has been involved in this work for the last 30 years, having started by assisting his father. He recalls that the first Ganesh idol he sold after joining his father was priced at just Rs 75. “Today, we sell similar idols ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000. Over the years, the cost of materials has gone up, so we have had to marginally increase our prices, but we try not to burden our loyal customers,” he adds.

The idols made by the Natekar family are entirely of clay. In earlier years, they also made other idols for temple committees, but now that many temples have installed permanent statues, the demand for such idols has decreased. Notably, the family of the late Manohar Parrikar, Goa’s former Chief Minister, used to purchase the Ganesh idol for their ancestral house from the Natekars.

Both brothers, Sonu and Vasant, are credited with creating two separate Sarvajanik Ganesh idols for Mapusa for a continuous stretch of 25 years. Despite completing his 12th standard, Vipul never hesitated to dive into the family business, which many youth today might shy away from. He feels proud to be part of this legacy.

“Somewhere down the line, we feel satisfied and blessed as we are doing service to God. We have never felt the pinch of high material costs. We always manage to save some amount despite all the hard work and payments to workers,” says Vipul. He acknowledges that while his ancestors had many workers and labour costs were lower,  labour charges have increased significantly today. However, some senior workers have remained with him, and he treats them as part of the family.

Crafting and giving finishing touches to clay idols is much more difficult and time-consuming than working with Plaster of Paris, but Vipul remains committed. His only grievances are the lack of space to store the idols and the limited time available to work on them. “Earlier, we could finish making the idols by Gokulashtami, but now we must have everything ready for sale by Nagpanchami. That’s our deadline, and we are constantly racing against time to meet it,” he says. All the idols are now customised and made more elaborate according to customer demands, which requires careful, time-intensive work.

Regarding government subsidies, Vipul notes that they do receive assistance, but it amounts to a maximum of just Rs 25,000. However, more than the subsidy, it is his love for tradition that keeps him going. “It is a great feeling to be a member of the Natekar family, which has contributed so much to the Ganesh festival in Mapusa,” says Vipul. He adds that his customers are always happy and grateful for the quality of the idols, which gives him immense satisfaction.

Vipul is committed to continuing this work and upholding the Natekar family’s reputation in art and culture. “Today, my granduncle Sonu has left behind a legacy as an artist. When people think of Ganesh artists from Mapusa, the first name that comes to mind is Sonu Natekar, and we are striving to keep his name alive,” he shares.

Vipul believes that such traditions should be carried forward by Goan youth, or else the rich culture will vanish. He firmly believes that education should not stand in the way of preserving one’s family legacy.