MUMBAI: Following the recent Bombay high court ban on Plaster of Paris (POP) Ganesh idols, the BMC has expedited the shift to shadu or organic clay. However, the sculptors of the normally huge sarvajanik or community idols are encountering significant challenges, with many unsure if they can meet the new requirements.
The smaller sculptors or murtikars begin work 2.5 months in advance, while mass producers start three to four months ahead of the festival. This year, they are struggling to keep up with production targets, as making the transition to big idols seems impossible. Santosh Kambli, a third-generation sculptor from a family with a 91-year legacy of crafting Mumbai’s iconic Lalbaghcha Raja idol, said that creating a 14-foot idol in clay was “impossible”. “Clay cannot withstand such a scale or detail,” he said.
Kambli repeated the cautionary tale trotted out by most mandals and politicians: that a blanket ban on POP could dismantle the 130-year-old festival’s grandeur. “The festival’s identity hinges on its scale,” he said. “Beyond our mandal, thousands of flower vendors, prasad sellers and food stall owners depend on this utsav for their livelihood. A POP ban would cripple them financially.”
The sculptor also highlighted other concerns. “Lalbaghcha Raja draws devotees who touch the idol’s feet,” he said. “Clay idols crack easily. Damaging a sacred murti during worship would be sacrilege. Ganesh is supposed to be the vighnaharta (obstacle-remover). How can we risk cracks?” Calling for IIT Bombay experts to study the merits of POP versus clay and provide viable alternatives to POP, he claimed that sculptors would not resist eco-friendly options. “But tall sarvajanik idols in clay are unworkable, and without giving us a hearing, a complete ban is unjust,” he said.
To address ecological concerns, Kambli suggested strategic immersion. “The BMC is making arrangements for artificial ponds for household Ganpatis,” he said. “It could deploy float systems, like ferry booths, to immerse idols 4-5 km deep at sea, minimising coastal impact.”
Siddesh Dighole, a sculptor with 16 years of experience in crafting sarvajanik Ganesha idols, makes 150 of them annually. Renowned in areas such as Chandanwadi, Kalachowki and Khetwadi as well as cities such as Solapur, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad, he pointed out that it took three days to make a raw POP idol while a clay one took over a month. “This efficiency is crucial to meet the demands of mandals that commission these grand installations,” he said. “A government ban on POP without viable alternatives has left artisans in crisis.”
Dighole and fellow murtikars, who petitioned the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis last week, now await their fate. The usual February rush to sculpt has dwindled. “Our entire workflow is disrupted. We’re lying low until the decision,” he admitted, reflecting the uncertainty gripping the community.
Anil Baing, a skilled sculptor, creates 90 sarvajanik idols at his workshop in Kandivali for mandals like Chemburcha Rajkumar, Borivalicha Chintamani, Poisar’s Mahaganpati, and an idol near Kolhapur’s Jyotiba temple among others. Each idol is at least 21 feet tall. “We craft one Ganesha idol in three days,” he said. “It’s impossible to create idols of such a grand size using clay.”
The murtikar claimed that they had consulted a scientist from the Central Pollution Control Board, who said that clay idols had eight chemical components and were more harmful than POP idols. “The only potentially harmful aspect of POP idols is the paint,” he said. “We can challenge them with scientific evidence, showing that POP is not harmful. Have we ever witnessed marine life dying due to it? We are collaborating with scientists and other sculptors to take our case to court.”
Baing emphasised that their last resort would be to protest on the streets. “Provide sarvajanik Ganeshas with large artificial ponds on the beach or find a solution, but a blanket ban cannot be enforced, as it would dampen the festival spirit,” he said. “This tradition and culture are a core part of Maharashtra. This isn’t just a business for us; there’s a deep emotional connection.”
70-year-old mandal shows the clay way
The GSB Seva Mandal at King’s Circle is Mumbai’s most expensive Ganesha, a 15-feet-tall idol made from clay with an insurance cover of ₹4 crore. People from across communities, including celebrities, visit the 70-year-old mandal.
“Earlier, the idol was three feet; now it is 15 feet,” said treasurer Vijay Kamath, who revealed that the idol was made from a mould on the GSB Seva mandal ground and had the same shape and size every year. “We focus on poojas, not decoration and so have the same theme every year,” he said. “Also, we don’t allow any devotee, not even celebrities, to touch the idols; only the priests who conduct pooja can go near it.”
Kamath said that clay was possible for his mandal since their Ganesh was kept for five days. “The challenge with clay idols is that when they are kept for more than five days, they develop cracks,” he said. “Maybe the solution lies in the government curtailing the size of idols or arranging for artificial ponds on the beach for POP idols so that environmental concerns are addressed.”
-There are 200,000 household Ganpatis and 12,000 sarvajanik Ganpatis in the city