Carving Out The Lord

Pavitraka workshop at Baner Road,which is conducted by Ravikumar Arun Damre,takes two-hour classes to make eco-friendly Ganesh idols,every Saturday. The workshop that started on August 3 has been quite a hit among Puneites this year. “The workshop had more students as compared to last year,” says Damre,adding that more than 30 people from different professional backgrounds and age-groups,attend the workshop every year. But Damre is not just focussed on teaching the art of making sculptures,he also seeks to awaken people about their social responsibility. “I want to pass on the message of incorporating eco-friendly natural colours made from turmeric,kumkum,leaves and flowers for making the idol,avoiding colours that contain hazardous chemicals,” he says,mentioning that he refrains from using synthetic gums and prefers to combine China clay and water for all sticking purposes.

This workshop does not limit itself to the local market. “Seeing the positive reactions of people,we have opened classes at Ahmednagar,Nagpur and Buldana,too,just before the festival,” says Damre,who charges Rs 200 per person,inclusive of all working material.

Ganpati idol-making workshops at Shree Ganesh Kala Kendre start months before the festival. “The actual work commences from Dussehra as we prepare huge murtis (idols),and also teach people who come to us for learning the artwork,” says the owner of Shree Ganesh Kala Kendre,Chaitanya Tagade,who also avoids using chemical bases in colours. When asked how many students he taught this year,Tagade says with a tinge of disappointment,“People do come to us out of curiosity to learn something new,but somehow only half of them actually turn up for the classes.”

Conducting classes for several years at Duttawadi,artist Milind Joshi teaches amateurs the principles of basic sculpture making,application of colours and several other related techniques. “The classes go on seamlessly,sometimes exceeding three hours. It is a matter of dedication and hard work that ultimately turns out to be a great piece of the Lord,” says Joshi.