With just a few nights away from Vinayaka Chavithi, the hectic preparations give life to the streets of Visakhapatnam. Colourful pandals are being fervently erected for the glamorous idols of the elephant-headed god while the hands behind these life-like idols hurry to finish their task on time. Recently, Team Yo! Vizag visited New Kolkata Idols, a famed name for over 15 years in the region, and interacted with Phani, the co-founder of this passionate idol-making house. The high-spirited idol-maker, who witnessed the changing tastes and trends in this humble yet dynamic industry, shared his views and the sweat behind giving Vizag a grand touch with their special Ganeshas.
During the conversation, Phani reflected on the popularity and religious fervour amongst the locals in setting up Ganesh pandals on the streets in the post-COVID-19 era. He says the pandemic, with its painstaking restrictions and lockdowns, enlightened people about the importance of this celebration. “Despite the increased idol costs, attributed to the increased raw material costs, the locals have been heartfully continuing the pre-COVID-19 traditions,” Phani comments.
Phani co-runs New Kolkata Idols with his brother Ram Murthy, a passionate craftsman whose fame transcends beyond the borders of Visakhapatnam. Every year, this 15-year-old karkhana (an idol-making house) receives orders from Vijayawada, Kakinada, and other districts. Phani shares that their preparations for Vinayaka Chavithi begin three months before the festival. Starting with sourcing mud from the banks of the Hooghly River, the three-month-long process involves the ardent handcraft of about 15 men who shift base to Vizag from Bengal for idol making.
“As a kid, I have always insisted my parents take me to Purna Market during Vinayaka Chavithi to see the Ganesha idol there,” reminisced Phani. Today, he proudly boasts with a broad smile that New Kolkata Idols makes the Ganesha idol for the Purna Market area. The nostalgic Phani excitedly expressed that this is one of his greatest personal achievements. Speaking about the preparations this year, he shared that the untimely rains played the spoilsport. “We had to pause the works for almost five days last week due to the sudden burst of rains,” he narrated.
Located in Kancharapalem, one of the bustling residential localities of the city, New Kolkata Idols mirrors the hard work of the devoted stakeholders at every step. From skeletal to finished and mini to 15 feet tall, the Ganesh idols lined up at the karkhana are self-explanatory of the stages to craft the vibrant and charming figurines of the Lord. Men heartfully humming in Bengali while synchronously maintaining a clockwork-like environment are familiar sights at this dynamic workshop. Phani says that the sleepless night before Vinayaka Chavithi sees lines of pickup trucks from all around Visakhapatnam to take their Ganesha home and is the final and most hectic part of the festival.
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