India's Ganesh idol makers count cost of devastating floods
Photo courtesy: BBC
Just weeks before Ganesh Chaturthi, one of India's biggest religious festivals, sculptor Dilip Mhatre stands amid the ruins of his workshop in Raigad district, Maharashtra. Six months of work—around 500 clay idols of the elephant-headed god, worth 800,000 rupees ($8,300)—have been destroyed by floods. "The flood washed everything away," he says. "We have no idols, no moulds and no raw material."
Mhatre's loss reflects a wider crisis. Raigad is the heart of India's Ganesh idol industry, with some 20,000 workshops producing up to eight million idols annually, employing 150,000 people and generating 3.5 billion rupees in sales. This year, however, heavy monsoon rains between 5–7 July dumped over 548mm of rain—almost as much as the entire July last year—triggering widespread flooding.
Around one million idols and 3,000 workshops have been damaged, says Sachin Patil, president of the local idol makers' association. Artisans lost not only finished idols but also moulds and raw materials like clay and plaster of Paris, making it impossible to restart quickly. Even a small idol takes up to two weeks to complete; larger ones can cost tens of thousands of rupees.
For many, idol-making is their sole income. Mhatre, who has supported his family through this craft for 30 years, estimates his loss at 1.2 million rupees. He has had to cancel orders and return advances.
Insurance offers little relief. Anita Patil, a workshop owner, says a policy might pay only 10,000 rupees on a 1-million-rupee loss due to restrictive conditions.
The impact extends beyond Raigad. Some international orders may be delayed, and artisans warn that recovery could take months or years. Local authorities have begun surveying damage and promised financial assistance once assessments are complete.
Sculptors are now rethinking future monsoon preparations—plastic roofing, raised platforms, and moving idols indoors—but with Ganesh Chaturthi only weeks away, the immediate focus is salvaging what they can.
Mahendra Patil, another sculptor, has been calling neighbouring workshops for replacement idols but says chances are slim. "If we cannot source idols from elsewhere, we will have to refund the advance payments."
Despite the devastation, most artisans say abandoning the craft that has sustained their families for generations is not an option. Workshops are slowly drying and repairing whatever idols can be saved, clearing debris, and trying to salvage a season many feared was lost. Yet few expect to recover financially anytime soon. (Source: BBC)
