Vinayagar idol makers back in demand

It’s the busiest time of the year for idol makers in Sundakkamuthur. With

Vinayagar Chathurthi

just a month away, artisans are busy putting the finishing touches on the idols. The

Vinayagar

idols are in different sizes and shapes and grab many eyeballs. S Saravanakumar, one of the most sought-after artisans in the city, is on his toes, attending calls from his customers, painting the faces of idols and ensuring that the completed idols are protected from both sun and rain. He along with his brothers S Yoganantham and S Senthilkumar have been making idols for many decades.

“This is our parambarai thozhil,’ he says. “This year, we have made around 400 idols. We have completed 80 per cent of the work. Our work begins as early as in January. We begin with the moulds for new designs. While we use paper mache for big idols, we use clay for the smaller ones.

Clay idols

tend to become heavy once they dry and hence, difficult to transport. Paper mache, on the other hand, is light and easy to handle. We use natural dyes, tapioca powder and lime powder along with clay. Our idols are shipped across Coimbatore, Erode, Pollachi, Gobichettipalayam, Ooty, Valparai and Udumalpettai.”

So, how do they pick the designs? “It depends on the customer’s choice and the popularity of a particular design. This year, we have made idols of Maruthuva Vinayagar, Bullet Vinayagar (Vinayagar riding a bullet) and Bahubali Vinayagar. The all-time-favourites are Garuda Vinayagar, Sivan Parvathi Vinayagar, Mangala Vinayagar, Thamarai Vinayagar, Ayyanar Vinayagar, Anjaneya Vinayagar, Karpaga Vinagayar to name a few.”

Idol maker A Sumathi says that it’s only in the last ten years that customers have been requesting for different models of Vinayagar. “Prior to that, we used to make the standard model of Vinayagar perched on a lotus. The sizes of the idols were small and people used to immerse them in wells or in buckets. Later, the sizes of the idols got bigger and they started immersing them in lakes. It’s the current generation that likes these models. This year too we have Jallikattu Vinayagar, Bahubali Vinayagar and Sivan Parvathi Vinayagar. We have made around 250 paper mache idols and small idols. While the small idols are sold to retailers, the bigger ones are kept aside for customers.”

A Jagannathan, a potter from TVS Nagar, who has also been making idols for over seven decades, ensures that his idols are eco-friendly. “We collect clay from the lakes and also supply it to others. Since, the clay is used to make idols of Vinayagar, we ensure it’s clean and have no stones. Our work begins for Vinayagar Chathurthi and we continue to be busy till Karthigai Deepam. During the off-season, we make pots. We do not paint the idols until asked for. We ensure that the idols do not cause any harm to the environment.”

Engineer Swarajith Alakananda, on the other hand, is giving a new touch to the Vinayagar idols. “We introduced the concept of Seed Ganeshas last year. This time around, we have improvised versions of the idols. “We usually make the idols a week before the festival. Once the idol is complete, we stuff the seeds inside. This time around, we are using the seeds of vegetable-bearing plants including ladies finger, tomato, chillies and spinach as well. All one has to do after the immersion of the idol is to get some water from the backyard and mix it with the clay. The idea is to create awareness about going green.” Saravanakumar says that the idols are dispatched only a day or two before the festival. “Till then the idols are our responsibility.”



Explore the yearly horoscope 2025 for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes, messages and quotes.