Meet Sujit Kumar Patilm, a sculptor from Lucknow, who is busy readying Ganesha idols ahead of Ganesha Chaturthi. The festival falls on August 22, this year. And is followed by a 10-day celebration that culminates with Ganesha Visarjan on September 1, 2020.
Unlike every year, the business is slow for sculptors like Sujit. The demand for Ganesha idols is there, but obviously, there are no takes for tall statues. “Till before this year, there used to be a demand for 14 ft or 16 ft tall Ganesha idols. This year, according to government orders in Mumbai, you cannot have statues higher than 9 ft,” says Sujit, who lives in Ravindra Palli, Lucknow.
Sculptors like Sujit had procured a lot of the raw material required for making idols in March itself. “The rest of the material could be managed later, but at double the prices,” adds Sujit.
Due to Corona virus, the U.P. government has forbidden large public gatherings for religious purposes, so don’t expect lavish pandals in Lucknow this year. Religious processions are also not allowed. However, the pandal committees will be holding scaled down Ganesha pujas during Ganesha Utsav.
For more updates on Ganesha Utsav in Lucknow, stay tuned.
