Idols made by Vijayapura artisan to be worshipped in US

VIJAYAPURA: In what is well and truly a transcontinental connection, Ganesh idols made by an artisan based in Vijayapura will be offered prayers in faraway United States of America. The idols are made by 70-year-old Manohar Pattar, a Rajyotsava awardee and member of the Karnataka Shilpa Kala Academy.
Pattar is currently occupied preparing eco-friendly clay idols, and has been making models for the past four decades.“Each year, I start preparing Ganesha idols three months before the chaturthi. When the lockdown was announced, I made seven paintings at home and subsequently started making idols of Ganesha to utilise my time better,” he said.
Pattar told TOI that his son Kalidas Pattar and his daughter-in-law Sheetal joined him each year in the preparation of the idols, while his wife Sharada and daughter Suvarna too were involved in the preparation of clay statues. “Unfortunately, my son and daughter-in-law owing to the Covid-19 crisis,” Pattar said.
Kalidas, a resident of Chicago in the United States of America, however, expressed their wish to have as many as 25 Ganesha idols. “Accordingly, I began preparing the idols towards the end of April,” Pattar added.
Owing to the non-availability of clay from Mumbai, which he used to work with every year, but he had to make do with local clay this time around. “There was some clay left over from last year, which I mixed with the locally available clay,” Pattar added.
However, Pattar said that additional precautions would be taken to prepare the idols. He said that once the mould was prepared, any number of idols could be modelled using it. “Each Ganesha idol generally weigh 250g, but I intend to reduce the weight by 100g. For this very purpose, clay has removed from the idol. So far, I have prepared six pieces. No colour will be used on the idols. If those getting the idols need any colour, my son will paint the idols,” Pattar added.
He, however, said that the idols would be packed systematically using special paper, which he said was used for packing medicine. “The idols will be sent via air parcel, or along with my son’s friends who might be going to the US. I am proud of making idols that will be worshipped in the US,” said Pattar.