Kundapur: Artisans Get Busy Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi
Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur
Kundapur, Sep 16: It is that time of the year when India gears up to celebrate the birthday of lord Ganesha, the god of wisdom and prosperity and seek special blessings for themselves and their near and dear ones.
Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of the moons bright fortnight, or the period from new moon in the lunar month of Bhadrapada. The celebrations go on five, seven or ten days, sometimes even stretching for as many as 20 days. The first and last days are said to be the most important ones. This year the festival falls on Wednesday September 19.
The custom of celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi was first started by Chatrapati Shivaji, the Maratha ruler, to promote culture and nationalism. It was later revived by Lokmanya Tilak to spread the message of freedom struggle and to defy the British who had banned public assemblies.
The preparations for the festival begin days in advance. Artisans get busy sculpting Ganesha idols in vivid colours and sizes ranging from small ones for homes to giant ones measuring 30 metres in height. Myriad lights, flowers and other decorations form an innate part of the celebrations. The large idols are carried in processions accompanied by music and hundreds of devotees marching in unison chanting 'Ganapati Bappa Maurya'. The idols are then immersed into the rivers and rituals are held.
Speaking to Daijiworld, artisan Vasanth Gudigaar of Gudigaar Fine Arts, Kundapur said that he has been carving Ganesha idols for the past 18 years. "Art is to watch, listen and do," he says. Fifteen days prior to Nagara Panchami, clay is brought from the paddy fields to make Ganesha idols.
Special care is taking while making an idol of Ganesha. Being environment conscious, he makes the idols with water and not oil.
"Before making the idols I go to Vinayaka Temple in Anegudde and offer special prayers. Only then I start my work on the idol as per the demand of the customer," he says.