Idol-makers urge Karnataka govt to issue height guidelines as Ganesh Chaturthi nears

The Chitragar community of the Karnataka Arya Kshatriya Chitragar Samaj, who has formed the Clay Idol Makers' Association and makes idols for Ganesh Chaturthi, the grandest and most celebrated festival in North Karnataka region, especially Hubballi, has urged the Karnataka government to issue guidelines on the height of idols.

"Although we start making small Ganapati idols from Ugadi itself, this is the time we make big idols when we get orders from Sarvajanika Ganapati Samitis. I have already received an order for a six-feet idol. However, I am confused as the government has not yet issued guidelines about the height of Ganapati idols to be worshipped publicly," said idol maker Govind Murgod of Chitragar community at Bammapur Oni in Hubballi.

Govind Murgod's words reflect the confusion Ganapati idol-makers are experiencing in the absence of government guidelines though only close to two months are left for the festival.
Samaj president Raghavendra P Murgod said he started making small idols three months back for which they do not take orders in advance. "The confusion is about big idols, where the money is received in advance. Most of the members in our community depend on clay idol-making throughout the year, and if guidelines about the reduced height of Ganapati idols come in at the last moment, it would be a great loss for us,'' he lamented.

"The Chitragar community is mainly concentrated in Bammapur Oni and Hosur in Hubballi and Madihal in Dharwad. They had incurred a loss when PoP idols were banned at the last moment. In the district and surrounding areas, nearly 1,000 big-size idols and nearly one lakh small idols are usually made for worshipping every year. Orders are now coming for big idols, but we do not know whether to accept them or incur a loss if guidelines come negative later. Maharashtra government has already issued guidelines in this regard," said Karnataka Kshatriya Okkuta city unit president Hanumanthsa C Niranjan.

Staging a protest in front of Mini Vidhana Soudha in Hubballi on Monday, members of Chitragar Samaj urged the government to issue guidelines immediately and announce a package for them to compensate the hardship they experienced during the lockdown. A memorandum was also submitted to the Chief Minister through the tahsildar's office.
Parashuram Nimbalkar, Vijay Kamble, Mahesh Murgod, Prakash Burbure and others were present at the protest meet.