Hyderabad(Hyd): The COVID-19 epidemic continued to weaken festive spirits in front of Ganesh Chaturthi as idol makers from Dhoolpet, where majority of the idols are made, have witnessed a main footfall in business this yr.. Numerous of the artisans, who normally make a killing during the festival every yr., stated that sales have fell by as much as 90 percent this time about.
“This yr., the footfall within the Dhoolpet market is quite low because of fear of the COVID-19 infection. We’ve never seen such a downfall amongst buyers during the festival. First time, artisans have only equipped 6,000 Ganesh idols where as each yr. we utilize to make 30,000 to 40,000 of those. So all of us together have sold regarding 150 to 200 idols,” stated Kailash Singh Hazari, an idol maker from Dhoolpet who’s widely referred to as ‘Murthi Kalakaar’, & is also the Vice-President of Telangana (TL) Ganesh Welfare Samithi.
Kailash Singh furthermore stated that different artisans like himself have gone into debt because of the COVID-19 epidemic. “As we’re living only by creating idols, we bought raw material with borrowed amount. There is no hope for sales & this has also affected the junior artisans & labourers who utilize to be employed as well. We’ve unable to pay their own ages as well,” he added further.
The other artisan from Dhoolpet, Manoj Singh informed LD.com that sales have taken a hit this time from the state govt inquired citizens to celebrate festivals in house. “Citizens are only buying idols which were 4 to 6 ft in height, that doesn’t give us sufficient business,” he pointed out.
The status from a buyer’s perspective has also not being quite forthcoming, as numerous fear getting contaminated by this COVID-19 infection. Satish Reddy, one such quite a few shoppers in Dhoolpet, stated that he has been only buying smaller idols as taking it for immersion to the Hussain Sagar lake won’t be possible.
“We’re quite disheartened that we can’t celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi because of the COVID-19 outburst. We’ve just scheduled a pooja in our home. Only a small idol is needed for that,” he informed LD.com. The 10-day festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrating the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, going to start on Aug 22. The festival going to end with the final immersion of the Ganesha idols, named the Visarjan. Hyderabad(Hyd) police commissioner Anjani Kumar previously this week stated that approvals to put up Ganesh pandals won’t be given. Although, the main Khairatabad Ganesh, that is only nine-feet this yr., is likely to be immersed within the Hussin Sagar lake this yr., albeit with lesser pomp & fanfare.