Replica of Mumbai’s Ganesh for city

Festive hues: A Ganesh idol resembling Mumbai’s famous Lalbagh idol being prepared by an artisan at Dhoolpet on Friday.

HYDERABAD: Ganesh festivities this year have something new for the devotees in the city. Joining the myriad presentations of the remover of all obstacles is going to be the replica of Mumbai’s famous Lalbagh Ganesh.

The artisans in Dhoolpet are busy giving final touches to 50 idols depicting Lalbagh’s Ganesh idol popularly called as “Lalbagh Ka Raja” in Mumbai.

Thousands of devotees, including Bollywood actors have darshan of “Lalbagh Ka Raja” seated on a gigantic throne with glimmering ornaments made with Plaster of Paris (PoP) during Ganesh festival every year.

Working in his workshop in the dingy lanes of Dhoolpet, an artisan Dhruv Singh has mooted the idea of making the replica of Lalbagh Ganesh idol in Hyderabad.

Last year, he saw the immersion of Lalbagh Ganesh on television news channels and decided to make it this year.

He and his family members first started working on a model and despite some hiccups on its height, successfully made a 14-foot idol resembling Lalbagh Ganesh.

Days after displaying the idol as a sample in the workshop, hundreds of pandal organisers, who came to give orders for idols, were attracted by the representation and started enquiring the price.

Within a few days, organisers from Orissa, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Adilabad and Nellore along with those from twin cities gave orders requesting Dhruv Singh to add some more lustre.

“We have studied every aspect of Lalbagh Ganesha with a special focus on its attire and jewellery for two months and made the same idols here. It’s really a great experience in making these beautiful idols for first time in the State,” says Dhruv Singh.

Artisans, however, explain the cost of idols ranging between 10 and 14 feet has gone up by 30 per cent owing to steep rise in transportation charges coupled with shortage of workers.

The cost of a 20 kgs PoP bag is now Rs.100 when compared to Rs.85 in 2008.

“Our transportation charges are increasing every year because the material has to be brought from Rajasthan.

In addition to this, prices of colours have also gone up forcing us to increase the prices,” adds another artisan Sundar.