Team Herald
CANACONA: The artisans in Canacona are at cross roads over the difficulties they are facing in procuring good quality clay and skilled labourers.
There are around 50 traditional artisans spread across Canacona taluka whose families have been making Ganesh idols for ages. Currently, they make at least 2000 Ganpathi idols during the festival. However, their numbers are dwindling as one by one, the families are giving up the tradition due to the difficulties in procuring quality clay and high cost of labour. “Due to the difficulties in procuring quality clay and high cost of labour, we are facing a dead end,” said Sidhart Chari, the owner of a Chitrashala at Charrasta.
Highlighting the difficulties faced by the artisans, he complained that after the work to construct Ravindra Bhavan got started at Chaudi, it has become more difficult as they were extracting mud from that place.
“We now have to go deep into the fields opposite Canacona KTC bus stand, due to which the cost goes up. There is also no proper approach road to the fields now,” Chari complained.
“Despite all the odds the 50 artisans employing over 300 labourers some even from Karnataka make 2000 idols to cater to regular customers,” said Manoj Prabhugaonkar the owner of a Chitrashala in Mashem.
“We get a subsidy of Rs 100 per idol subject to a maximum of Rs 25,000 but since the idol making is a labour intensive work, it is difficult to break even sometimes,” Prabhugaonkar said.
Despite all the odds, the artisans from Canacona this year have started the work of idol making in the month of June, to be ready with the colourfull idols for the upcoming Ganesha Chaturthi festival on September 2.
