Gandhinagar, Sep 21 (IANS): More than 23,500 eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols were sold across Gujarat during a seven-day state-supported fair this month, generating around Rs five crore in revenue for 361 registered artisans, the Gujarat Matikam Kalakari and Rural Technology Institute said on Monday.
The ‘Mati Murti Mela-2026’, organised by the Institute under the Cottage and Rural Industries Department from September 8 to 14, saw 23,542 clay idols sold at five locations in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat.
The state government supplied 186 tonnes of ‘ready-to-use’ clay to participating artisans and provided sales stalls free of cost under a 100 per cent subsidy.
Ahmedabad Haat in Vastrapur recorded the highest revenue among the five venues, with sales exceeding Rs 1.91 crore. Adajan in Surat recorded the highest number of idols sold, with 7,920 idols accounting for more than Rs 1.11 crore in sales.
At Parsi Agiyari Maidan in Vadodara, 79 stalls recorded sales of Rs 85.77 lakh, while 124 stalls at the Sabarmati Riverfront registered sales of Rs 77.99 lakh. Bopal Hastkala Haat in Ahmedabad recorded Rs 32.55 lakh in sales through 30 stalls.
The fair is part of state government’s efforts to encourage clay idols as an alternative to Plaster of Paris (POP) idols during Ganeshotsav.
According to state government, around 90 per cent of Ganesh idols in Gujarat were made from POP until 2014-15. Since POP does not dissolve in water and can affect aquatic life and water sources, the government introduced the ‘Incentive Scheme for Clay Idol Makers’ in 2015-16.
Under the scheme, registered artisans receive ‘ready-to-use’ clay at a 50 per cent subsidised rate, along with free sales stalls and daily fair assistance of Rs 1,000.
The government said the measures implemented over the past decade have contributed to a reduction in the use of POP idols across the state.
The initiative also included an educational component, with more than 84,500 students from 302 schools across 10 districts participating in live clay idol-making demonstrations and do-it-yourself (DIY) activities.
The activities were organised under the National Education Policy to promote awareness about environmental issues.
The programme also created livelihood opportunities for women from artisan families involved in making and decorating idols at home.
The Institute said the scheme has expanded beyond financial assistance to artisans and is intended to support livelihoods while promoting traditional skills and environmental protection.
The government plans to continue such fairs in the coming years as part of its stated objective of promoting an “Aatmanirbhar Gujarat to Aatmanirbhar Bharat” approach.
