India big exporter of religious statues
India has always been a supplier of statues, artifacts and other heritage structures for various purposes across the world. While a few objects go directly to individuals as collector’s items, many are ordered mainly for construction of temples and a few for arts and crafts stores.
“We made 63 Nayanmar statues and sent them to Malaysia recently. But, instead of sending the statue of Isai Naniar, the mother of one of the four saints, we packed a Paramane Paduvar statue. So now we have sent the Isai Naniar statue again to complete the set,” said K. Vaidyanathan, who runs the Vedam Karungal Sirpakudam in Mayiladuthurai.
Catering mainly to temples, Mr Vaidyanathan gets the “karungal” (blue metal stones) from Uthukuli in Tirupur district. “The stones at Uthukuli are dug from under the ground and have moisture in them. They are excellent to carve”, he added. While sculpting of artifacts takes care of their livelihood, they also make idols of deceased people and political leaders to supplement their income.
“I have five people to working under me and we get orders round the clock both from within India as well as abroad. Currently we are working on a “Muneeswaran” statue that is bound for a temple in Mauritius”, Mr Vaidyanathan added.
If the statues are mainly sourced for temples in South Asian countries, the Western world is also not behind. While an Avalotikeswara (Buddha) was custom ordered by a buyer in Switzerland from Chinar Crafts Tibetan Art Gallery, wooden idols of Lords namely Ganesha, Vishnu and Krishna were being sent to US on individual orders.
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Balcony collapse kills 1 in Mumbai
Mumbai, Sept. 11: One person was killed when a part of balcony, crowded with devotees, collapsed on Sunday during the Ganesh immersion procession in central Mumbai here.
Five others, including a minor, were injured in the incident, officials said.
In a separate incident, a huge Lord Ganesh idol fell while being transported for immersion, injuring two persons near Chinchpokli area.
The injured people were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, the police said.
The 50-year-old victim in the first incident, who is yet to be identified, was killed, while at least five were injured as a part of the balcony, located on the first floor of Mohammadi building, collapsed during the immersion procession in Ganesh Galli area in Lalbaug area.
The balcony was packed with devotees, who were eager to take a glimpse of city’s famous Ganesh idol of Lalbaugcha Raja.
A part of the balcony collapsed while they were watching the immersion procession at Ganesh galli in Lalbaug.
The incident was captured on camera by news channels.
The injured people have been identified as Sayali More(13), Asmita Subhash (15), Pradeep Sonawane (28), Rajesh Waigude (27) and Minal Charan(22). All those injured in the incident were rushed to nearby civic run KEM hospital, they said.
—PTI
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