Goa govt's push for clay idols gives traditional artisans fresh lifeline this Ganesh festival

Panaji: With the Ganesh festival just around the corner and the ban on Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, the government's subsidy scheme for clay idol makers has given a new lease of life to Goa's artisans.

The government introduced a subsidy scheme providing Rs 200 per clay idol for up to 250 idols to support traditional artisans and preserve their craft, said Damodar Morajkar, managing director of the Goa Handicrafts, Rural and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Ltd. (GHRSSIDC).

Talking to PTI Videos, he explained that the scheme was born out of both cultural and environmental concerns.

"PoP idols don't dissolve during immersions and end up polluting water bodies. Clay idols, on the other hand, dissolve easily without harming the environment," Morajkar said.

The Pramod Sawant-led government has been promoting this scheme extensively.

Morajkar said that as many as 450 artisans from Goa are registered with the corporation under this scheme.

He said the financial assistance was increased from Rs 100 to Rs 200 in the last two years, considering the inflation.

The scheme also helps artisans procure clay-mixing machines, which are essential to ready the raw material before idols are crafted, he added.

The official said in some communities, the craftsmanship has been passed down through generations, and the scheme also aims to ensure that they don't abandon traditions.

For artisans, the scheme has become a means for survival and a medium to keep their craft alive.

Ramesh Harmalkar, who has been making idols for five decades with his brothers, said the government's timely subsidy and provision for a clay-mixing machine have eased their efforts.

The Harmalkar brothers live in Chimbel village near Panaji.

"The scheme has also helped artisans control the prices of idols. If the government had not provided the subsidy, we would have had to increase the prices of idols to meet the inflated cost of raw materials," he said.

He said that idols cost anywhere between Rs 1,500 and Rs 50,000, depending on the height and other aspects.

Ramesh's brother Sunil, who crafts 400-500 idols per season, said his work starts months before the festive season.

"We start this work three months in advance, because we need to soak the mud, which is then mixed in a pugmill (mixing machine). Work becomes faster because of the machine," he said.

At Mayem village in North Goa, Rupesh Shet and his family begin their work from June, softening the clay in rainwater before shaping it into beautiful idols.

"The government's subsidy helps us procure raw material. My entire family, including my wife and son, is involved in the work. We work day and night. We make around 800 idols as per orders we receive," he said.

"Everyone should use mud idols only, and not use PoP. This way, mud goes back into mud after visarjan (immersion)," Shet said.