MOHIT KHARANGATE
reporters@herald-goa.com
FATORDA: Artistes all over Goa are busy putting the final touches to their masterpieces, with just two days to go before Ganesh Chaturthi, which is celebrated in a mega way in Goa and Maharashtra.
Amongst them is 83-year-old Tulshidas Hari Naik, who has been making Ganesh idols since 1965. Naik started his journey from Fatorda by making seven idols. Today, the number has grown to over 600 and he has his own art gallery ‘Sarvang Sundar’ in Fatorda, where many people throng to buy idols of the much loved elephant-headed God.
“People gave me a lot of support and encouragement, that I make very nice idols. Because of this today I have my own ‘chitrashala’ called Sarvang Sundar in Fatorda. At the age of 83, I don’t have that much stamina, but once I put my hand in the clay, something works inside me, which leads to creation of the idol, which I myself cannot understand,” Naik said.
“I get the strength from Siddhivinayak and people say my idols are beautiful and because of this the demand for idols keeps on growing. I have ‘bhakti’ because ‘shakti’ is not enough,” he says smilingly.
“In the beginning we used to make idols of clay. Then in between we started Plaster of Paris idols, but now we have completely switched over to clay. We used to bring clay from Tivim and Bicholim. I have tried out clay from different places. Now we get the clay from Bhavnagar, Gujarat, through Mumbai. We put choir in these idols to make the idols light, so that it is easier for people to carry and do the immersion. But most other artistes do not use choir,” Tulshidas explains.
Tulshidas’ son Pritam says they prepare about 650 Ganesh idols. They sell 150 idols in Marcela alone. “We have a branch in Marcela. My dad gets a subsidy of about Rs 200 per idol for maximum 250 idols,” said Pritam.
“Since we have a big chitrashala like ours, we do not benefit much. The clay itself is very costly. But less quantity idol makers benefit a lot,” Pritam added.
“In Kolhapur and Mumbai, they have factories and workers are available throughout the year. In Goa, it is difficult to get artistes and workers to work on these idols, since they ask how they will leave their present jobs and come here only for six months. We are worried whether this art will survive in the future generations,” Pritam said, as he sprays paint onto a Ganesh idol.