Tiruchirappalli artisans craft eco-friendly Ganesha idols

In Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, artisans are preparing eco-friendly Ganesha idols for the upcoming Vinayaka Chaturthi festival. To comply with environmental guidelines and protect water bodies, the idols are crafted using tapioca flour paste, which allows them to dissolve completely in water within approximately 30 minutes of immersion.

The idols range in size from 3 feet to 10 feet and are decorated with rangoli colours designed to minimize environmental impact. Despite the sustainable methods used, veteran artisan Periyasamy reported that advance bookings are significantly lower than in previous years.

Periyasamy, who has worked in the profession for 45 years, noted that the traditional craft is gradually declining. He has appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to relax regulations regarding idol installation locations and to provide financial assistance or subsidies to support traditional artisans.