Harshini Brahmavar
Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Sep 16: The Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi also known as Ganeshotsava is just around the corner. It is celebrated in the month of Bhadrapada as per the Hindu almanac which is usually sometime in August or September.
All Ganesha idol makers are busy giving the final touches to their creations. Shekhar Kalmady (61), an art teacher from Alevoor, is an amateur idol maker and has been doing this for 35 years. He is a retired art teacher of Nehru High School, Alevoor, and has taught for 35 years.
He begins making the idols for the festival three months in advance. The idols he has made ramge from one-and-a-half feet to 5 feet long. One of his friends had inspired him to start making statues. He uses natural water colour paints instead of oil paints.
Shekhar's idols can cost anywhere between Rs 1, 700 to Rs 12,000, depending on size. He collects clay from the tile factory at Ambagilu or from Madi in Pethri. He stocks it at his home as a safeguard against any shortfall.
Idol-making is a slow process that takes hours and each part has to be moulded with the utmost care. The eyes and colours are completed only three or four days before the delivery date. Shekhar has a team of five members - Jayakar, Umesh, Ravikiran, Srikanth, and Subrahmanya - as his seasonal assistants. Shekhar said that every year he offers a Ganesha idol to the Alevoor Ganeshotsav committee free of cost.
He has carved out various Ganesha idols such as 'Heramba', 'Gowri Ganesha', 'Mushika', 'Bilishile' and so on. 'Kappu Shile' (black stone) Ganapati is very attractive and specially made as per an order from Shantinagar.
Before initiating the work, he and his family visit Anegudde temple and perform 'Ganahoma' seeking smooth completion of the task. He then observes partial fast by avoiding non-veg food till the immersion of Alevoor Ganesha.
Shekhar is a jack all trades, familiar with Tulu art Yakshagana, paintings, photography, and also writes. He wrote the drama script for 'Tulunada Vaibhava'. He crafts not just Ganesha idols but also those of Mother Mary and Goddess Sharada. He gets orders from local areas are like Padukere, Korangrapady, Mattu, and Mudubelle.
Shekhar considers it his service to God and has the support of his wife Jayanti. He has two daughters and a son.
Recalling a spiritual experience, he said, "One day late night my employees and I were busy making idols. I forgot to bring food for dinner and the employees were tired of working and felt hungry, but there was no shop open at night. Unexpectedly, one of my neighbors dropped by with enough dosa and chutney for all. It was a spiritual experience as we felt God had intervened and provided us food when we were busy in his service."
In recognition of his services both as teacher and idol maker, he has been honoured with a number of titles and awards like 'Jana Mechchida Shikshaka in 2002-03' by the public education department, as also the 'District's Best Teacher' , the 'Guru Shri Award by Malpe Raghavendra Rashtra Prashasti Charitable Trust, Sri Krishnanugraha Prashasti (from Shiroor Math), Billava Shri Award, Upadhya Sanmana Rajya Award, and 'Amma Gourava Prashasti' to name a few.
"I want to impart my artistic knowledge to the youth so that they may continue this art and pass it on to future generations," said Shekhar, adding that he also plans to set up an art school.