Ganesh idols from Maharashtra have flooded the Hyderabad market, causing local idol makers to struggle this year. Orders from locals have significantly decreased. In previous years, the streets of Dhoolpet would be crowded with people buying idols one month before the festival, but this year the streets are empty and the artisans have only received about 50% of their usual orders.
Kailash Singh Hazaris, president of the Telangana Ganesh Idol Artisans Welfare Association, expressed disappointment, stating that this is the time when they usually earn profits. However, this year has been different as many traders have started stocking up idols from Maharashtra, affecting the local business. Compared to local idols, idols from other states are more expensive, with 2 ft Ganesh idols starting from Rs 5000, while local idols cost Rs 1000-2000. Although they faced a similar problem last year, it was not as severe as this year.
People are choosing to buy idols from Solapur and Nagpur because they find them more attractive, but they forget about the hard work put in by local artisans. Local idol makers are eagerly waiting for customers to buy their stocked-up idols at their workshops. Despite depending on the idol business, the state government has never provided any benefits to them, according to Krishna Singh, another idol maker who has been crafting idols for 40 years.
