Craftsmanship, clay from West Bengal make giant Ganapati idols in Hubballi special

West Bengal artists busy with final stages of readying large-size idols.

Gigantic and elegant Ganapati idols, which attract a large number of people even from neighbouring districts during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Hubballi, have the craftsmanship of artists from West Bengal and the fineness of clay brought from the banks of a distributary of Ganga river behind their imposingness.

With less than a week left for the grandest festival of the year celebrated in the region, especially in Hubballi, idol makers from West Bengal are busy giving final touches to Ganapati idols of different sizes and postures, including painting them. More interestingly, they use clay brought from the banks of Hooghly River, an arm of the Ganga, for the final layer (surface) of these idols.

Large-size 'Hubballi Cha Maharaja' at Marathagalli, and 'Hubballi Ka Raja' at Dajbanet in Hubballi, which are up to a total height of nearly 25 feet, are among the major Ganapati idols which pull huge crowds during the festival, and they are prepared by idol makers from West Bengal.

Leading a team of 21 artists from the state, Appu Pal from Krishnanagar in Nadia district of West Bengal is preparing around 90 Ganapati idols of different sizes in and around Kariyammadevi Temple premises at Marathagalli this time. This team came in May itself, and has prepared idols not just for Sarvajanika Ganeshotsav Samitis in Hubballi, but also for Samitis in Koppal, Ranebennur, Gadag, Dandeli, and even Gunthkal.
"We need fine clay from Kolkata for the finishing work. This time, we have brought two truckloads of clay from there, and have collected five tractors of clay from this region itself. After making the basic shape of the idols using wooden sticks and dry grass, we start applying clay," says Pal.

Height from 3 to 25 ft

"We have prepared idols of a height from three feet to 25 feet. Due to high cost of labour and raw materials, the price of the idols we have made this time ranges from Rs 10,000 to Rs five lakh. 'Hubballi Cha Maharaj' idol, which is nearly 25 feet high this time, is the largest idol we have prepared here, while an 18-foot-tall idol is being prepared for Myadar Oni," Pal told DH.

Appu Pal first came to Hubballi to make Ganapati idols in 1995, and his popularity among Ganeshotsav Samitis in the region has been increasing since then. He receives orders from them at least four months in advance, along with details like size and other aspects of the idols to be prepared.
His team could not come in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

"I come from a family of artists, and my father was also a famous idol maker. I am not able to make more idols here, though there is a demand, due to lack of space," he added.

After Ganeshotsav, Pal's team starts preparing Durgamatha and Sherawali idols for the Dasara (Navaratri) festival, and this time, they have orders to prepare over 20 such idols.
Meanwhile, a team led by Sanjay Haldar from West Bengal is preparing another large Ganapati idol in Hubballi - 'Hubballi Ka Raja' to be installed at Dajibanpet.