Last year, through one of my posts (read here), I had unveiled my admiration towards the art of idol making… something I had witnessed very closely then… in the innumerable temporarily built roadside workshops that make Ganesh idols for the 10day festival… here in the vicinity of where we stay…
These days, every single day, over the last few days, I have walked by these workshops and my admiration or astonishment or whatever one would call it, has only increased manifold… so impressed I am, that I took time out to get into technicalities of idol making (though couldn’t try my hands at it)… and heres a peek into the art, and the artisans’ life…

It all starts with making fibre moulds which are used as a base...

Moulds are put together to give the body structure...

Moulds are patched together with clay, to make the idol...

Now starts the real stuff... carvings in clay... all with bare hands, using some rudimentary tools...

Time to splash some colors... heres the assortment of dyes and chemicals used... (environment friendly? nah... but doesnt matter!!)

Intricate work this colouring is... beginning of transformation...

Colors on face are the most crucial, I was told... they define expressions... (dont forget to catch the colorless walls behind, where this artist lives!!)

bright and vibrant... full of life...

dont miss the detailing... it takes enormous amount of time, patience and ofcourse 'respect' to make those eyes express their divine power, magnifiience and kindness, all at a go...

Tell me one colour that is not seen on the stand...

And then there are these single color variations... as divine... as impressive...

My personal favourite... looks like a stone carving... but is actually a magic of colour... looks so spirited, inspite of the use of 'shades of grey' (have ordered one of these for my home... to keep forever)

in Lord Shiva's avtaar... (one of the very difficult idols to create, I was told... rare combination of father's agression and son's empathy...)

look of the royal Peshwas...

in Krishna's avtaar

The magic recreated using pearls and stones... isnt it a wonderful creation?

And finally that hand, raised to bless us all... gives a much needed assurance of well-being...