Vinayaka Chavithi is one of the most celebrated festivals across India. It is marked by the vibrant presence of pandals, colourful Ganesh idols, modaks, and an atmosphere filled with joy and devotion. Whether the idol is placed at home, or in public spaces, people eagerly seek the finest pandal, or paali, to honour Lord Ganesh during this festive period. With just one day to go, Visakhapatnam is gearing up to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in grand style.
While the festivities are in full swing, the women from the Medara Community in Visakhapatnam are working diligently to provide the essential materials that make Ganesh Chaturthi truly special.
Medara Street, near Poorna Market, is home to almost 800 to 1000 people from the Medara community. For the past four decades, they have been making a living by weaving baskets and making wooden furniture. Many of these long-standing shops remain nameless, yet the people here are renowned for their skilled craftsmanship in bamboo and woodwork. Nearly everyone in this community is deeply involved in this traditional craft.
“Growing up in Annavaram, I used to weave with my father. Now my children are helping me to do the same craft,” said 26-year-old Akhila, who is helping her husband run his shop at Poorna Market. Akhila has two kids, 10 and 13 years old, who help her in making leaf-based decor items after school. Meanwhile, her husband takes charge of bringing required material to the store.
The women from the Medara Community work day and night slicing bamboo leaves to make Ganesh pandals better. “We start work at 4:00 am and, now as Ganesh Chaturthi is coming up, we close at 10:00 pm,” said 35-year-old Ramalakshmi; owner of Joseph Bamboo Mats. She has been working with four other women in her family; including her 75 year old mother, Suryudamma. These women, using with their exceptional craftsmanship, make paali, parrots with leaves, mats and thoranalu.
A number of eco-friendly items are sold in these narrow lanes. The materials that the artisans use are bamboo, wood, banana leaves, and palm leaves sourced from the rural areas of the city. Sourcing these materials is a big challenge for these small craftsmen. However, once sourced, the bigger challenge is to make them into fine handicraft items that people want to buy. Even though small mats, and baskets are easy to make, pandal – which are in high demand during Ganesh Chaturthi season – need hours of patience and meticulous work.
“It takes 24 hours to make one Gopuram, as we need to carefully weave all the bamboo together. One mistake can ruin the entire outcome,” said 50-year-old Pilli Jayamma, while working on a three-feet tall Gopuram. Jayamma, along with her husband Lakshmana Rao and fellow worker Pilli Krishnayya, sells Gopuralu, Buttalu, Chatalu, and Visuna Karralu on this street.
Despite their dedication and hard work, the craftsmen sometimes face losses due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of support. “I don’t own a shop here. During Vinayaka Chavithi, some of us sell our items on the street. If nearby vendors find out we’re using the space, they can get upset. So, I only come here for these two days to make a profit,” said 56-year-old Kumaramma, who uses an umbrella to stay cool.
Meanwhile, recent rains have impacted the livelihoods of the Medara Community, as it dampens their wood and reduces the quality of their products. Although Ganesh Chaturthi preparations in Visakhapatnam begin two months in advance, much of their stock remains unsold, forcing them to sell at lower prices and suffer financial losses.
“The work might not be profitable all the time, so we need to clear our stocks quickly and when things are unsold, we have to sell them for cheaper prices. Despite the losses, this is an occupational role that I would like to follow as I inherited it from my parents,” said Ravi, owner of Jaya Rainbow Works.
The Medera Community here regards their craft as a family treasure, passed down through generations. Despite the challenges of surviving in a competitive society where cheaper alternatives are available, they strive to preserve their ancestral legacy.
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