Journalism of Courage
Bringing Ganpati bappa home could be a bit heavy on your pocket this year as traders are facing a hike in cost of raw materials. They are paying 20-25 per cent more for fine paper plaster and other materials.
Mandar Desai of Desai Bandhu Ambewale,which stocks around 6,000 idols of 400 varieties brought from Pen district,says the production of idols has gone down in Pen owing to several reasons and this has resulted in a rise in price of idols. While the cost of fine paper plaster was Rs 110-Rs 130 last year,the cost is Rs 170-Rs 200 this year. The daily wages of Ganpati idol artistes was Rs 150 a day last year,which have gone up to Rs 180-Rs 220.
Shadu maati was available at Rs 130-Rs 140 in 2010,the same is priced at Rs 180-Rs 220. The cost of eco-friendly water colour has gone up by 15-20 per cent; transport cost is another factor, Desai says.
The confusion over the ban on plaster of Paris idols is another reason for this years low production. Though the rule had not been implemented,it had left the idol makers puzzled whether to go ahead with the production or not, Desai says.
Suryakant Pathak,managing director of Grahak Peth that houses around 5,000 Ganpati idols,says the unavailability of artisans in Pen district is also responsible for the rise in price of Ganpati idols. Most of the artisans have taken up other jobs that are more paying. Even the ones who are still in the same profession are charging a lot, he says,adding that a number of companies have created ample job opportunities for artisans over the past two years. The price of idols at Grahak Peth has gone up by 20 per cent. Customers who send these idols abroad pick up around five per cent of the total stock.
Desai attributes the low production and rising cost to the gap between demand and supply of the idols. Besides Maharashtrian families,even those from other states and religions are buying Ganpati idols and celebrating the festival with equal fervor; this has added to the deamnd, he says.
