Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, Ganpati-making workshops are offering devotees a different way to prepare for the festival — by creating the idol themselves. The workshops bring together art, tradition and sustainability, with participants working with natural clay to sculpt their own murtis and, in some cases, take them home for the festival.‘Creating the idol yourself adds another layer to the celebration’For many participants, the appeal lies as much in the process as in the finished idol. Samah Jain, a workshop curator, says, “People are increasingly looking for experiences where they can make something with their own hands. With Ganpati, there is an emotional connection, so creating the idol yourself adds another layer to the celebration.”Tia Shah, a homemaker, who came along with her daughter Samaira, says, “My 12-year-old daughter enjoyed the process more than I expected. I wanted her to experience the festival in a hands-on way, and making the Ganpati herself made it feel more meaningful for both of us.”‘Making Bappa is for everyone’Yash Gupte, founder of an art studio, believes making the idol adds a personal dimension to the festival. “Art has always brought people together and helped us celebrate our culture. Sculpting your own Ganpati brings devotion into a personal, hands-on experience. It is about enjoying the process, learning something new and staying connected to our cultural roots,” he says.The workshops are designed for beginners too. “Sculpture can take years to master, but working with mud and clay comes naturally to many of us. So, even beginners can find the process intuitive and enjoyable, making Bappa is for everyone. The clay settles at the bottom after immersion and can be collected, remixed and reused. This makes the process more mindful and sustainable,” Yash adds.Sculpting is a joyful, meditative, creative art — a journey towards self-realisation. When I practised it and truly realised its joy, I felt that this art should be shared with more and more people — Mukund Bhagwan Jahagirdar, architect, sculptor, painter and workshop curatorMy idol wasn’t perfect, but that’s what makes it special. Knowing I made it myself adds a different emotion to the festival. This workshop was quite therapeutic — Nisha Kulkarni, a teacher
‘Creating the idol yourself adds another layer to the celebration’For many participants, the appeal lies as much in the process as in the finished idol. Samah Jain, a workshop curator, says, “People are increasingly looking for experiences where they can make something with their own hands. With Ganpati, there is an emotional connection, so creating the idol yourself adds another layer to the celebration.”Tia Shah, a homemaker, who came along with her daughter Samaira, says, “My 12-year-old daughter enjoyed the process more than I expected. I wanted her to experience the festival in a hands-on way, and making the Ganpati herself made it feel more meaningful for both of us.”
