Vinayak Shet would have been just another Ganesha idol maker in Mangaluru. But something sets him apart: He has been making eco-friendly idols with the assistance from a group of girls for years.

A screen printer by profession, Mr. Shet took up idol-making some 25 years ago under the banner of Rathabeedi Arts Workshop Artists. The workshop is his ancestral home on Car Street, Mangaluru.

Preparations start as early as March-April, when clay is sourced from paddy fields in Koteshwara, off Kundapura in Udupi district. A group of girls — Akshatha, Reshma, Chaithra and Supreetha — help him with the endeavour.

Light-weight

Another distinctive feature of his creations is that Mr. Shet’s idols are not heavy as the conventional clay ones. He uses moulds to prepare the idols, leaving them hollow inside. The clay idols naturally dry in about 15 days, after which they are given a finishing touch. Mr. Shet says he only uses natural colours, prepared by mixing lime with some vegetable ingredients.

Asked how did he develop the penchant for making idols, Mr. Shet said he was attracted by the concept of Ganesha—Niraakara. There is no set parameter to make Ganesha idol and an artist can draw inspiration from various concepts.

Artists enjoy such a freedom, Mr. Shet added. He learnt the art under the guidance of M.S. Kudva and Shivamogga Rajashekhar. Mr. Rajashekhar used to prepare Sharada idol for the Dasara at Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara Temple.

In his formative days, Mr. Shet would make seven to eight idols. This year, he would be preparing 108 idols. The size of the idols range from 1 ft to 10 ft and are priced between Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 10,000.