TRICHY: With Cauvery flowing through the city copiously after a long time, the ensuing Vinayaka Chaturthi is all set to witness a rousing celebration. Saying that the brimming water level has positively influenced the sales of Vinayaka idols as devotees can conveniently immerse the idols, Vinayaka idol makers in hotspots here are putting the pedal to the metal in expediting the final phase of idol making. Being made in different shapes, sizes and hues, idol makers asserted that unfriendly elements to environment and water bodies had not been used in the process.

Overwhelmed at the sight of the surplus flow in Cauvery after five years, dozens of artisan families involved in Vinayaka idols production in Melakondayampettai near Thiruvanaikoil here have been racing against time to supply the orders placed. As the sustaining flow in Cauvery has evoked a positive vibe in delta districts, idol makers said that demand this year has surged by 30 per cent. While the previous years’ saw different themed Vinayaka idols such as jallikattu and bahubali Vinayaka idols, this year the makers have not ventured any innovative themes.

“Asuran Pillaiyar and Dharbar Pillayar are the most sought after themed idols this Vinayaka Chaturthi. Foreseeing desirable demand, we have been producing more idols in the past few weeks. Painting would be given only days ahead of the festival,” C Jaisankar, Vinayaka idol maker in Melakondayampettai said. With Vinayaka Chaturthi to be celebrated on September 13, idol makers around Thiruvanaikoil said that they would complete the making process in a week’s time. Thus, enabling buyers to ship completed life-size idols on time.

Artisans here pursue only two modes of idol making namely clay idols and paper pulp idols. While clay idols cannot exceed 3 feet in height, Vinayaka idols made of paper pulp can touch a maximum of 15 feet.

“Clay Vinayaka idols are priced between Rs 50 and Rs 1,000 while idols made of paper pulp has been fetching up to Rs 20,000 per unit.

Prices and orders are lucrative now compared to yesteryears, credits to the surplus Cauvery,” K Kumar, another artisan said. Life-size and massive Vinayaka idols measuring up to 15 feet in height are said to be made from a mix of chalk powder, paper pulp, tapioca powder, and adhesives.

Youth forming themselves as a group and by crowdfunding from nearby villages have been placing orders for giant idols, the idol makers added. Artisans here added that as per the instructions from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), they have been using only watercolours by avoiding oil paints in adding shades to Vinayaka idols.

