Drought hits sale of Ganesh idols

JAIPUR: Seventy-year-old Anjani Bhati stares blankly at the thousands of Ganesha statues, which she and her family have made, to sell during the Ganesh Chaturthi. Till last year, buyers used to come from far-flung districts to purchase the idols to celebrate a good harvest. However, with the drought hitting the state, the farmers as well as the idol-makers have nothing to celebrate this year.
"Last year we had sold over 100 Ganesha idols by this time, but this year we could sell only 4-5 idols. Farmers from districts such as Alwar, Ajmer, Sikar and Jhunjhunu came or placed orders to buy Ganesha idols," Kaali Bhati, daughter of Anjani, said.
"The festival is celebrated by the farmers to mark a good harvest and prosperity in the village. This year the drought has curbed crop production, and farmers have incurred huge losses. Therefore, the festivities have taken a beating," Anjani said.
Anjani and about 50 of her family from the Bhati' caste, belonging to the Marwar region, have camped opposite Rajasthan University campus, where they make and sell these idols. As they cannot afford to rent rooms, the camps also serve as a resting place for them at night.
"Many of us have bought raw materials worth Rs 40,000-50,000 at high rate of interest to make these idols. With the business badly hit, we have been unable to repay and therefore, shopkeepers have either refused or increased the interest rates for purchasing more materials," Kaali said.
The idols are priced between Rs 10 and Rs 8,000, with the largest being about seven feet. "Our profit margins are very low, ranging between 2-5%, but this year our main aim is to sell these idols, if required on a no-profit basis to recover the manufacturing cost and repay debt," Ramesh Bhati, a family member said. The artisans are now hoping for a better show during the coming Navratri season.
It takes 2-3 days to craft a medium-sized idol, which is extended to almost a week for making large idols. "Our children take up this art at a very young age and master the craft by the time they reach their teens. Neither our parents nor we have the money to educate our kids, therefore this profession is the only means to earn our livelihood," Anjani said with a sigh.