Demand for Ganesha idols resembling Ayodhya’s Balak Ram

Mysuru: With Gowri-Ganesha festival mood setting in, the cultural capital Mysuru is witnessing Lord Ganesha in different avatars like: Balak Ram of Ayodhya, Male Mahadeshwara Swamy, Sri Gururaghavendra Swamy, Kukke Subramanya Swamy among many others to name a few, thus attracting the devotees.

Artist Manjunath of K.T. Street, who has set up the stall at the premises of Chamundeshwari temple behind Lashkar Police Station in the city, has been attracting the people, with the innovatively carved idols of Lord Ganesha, out of clay.

Kannada film star Puneeth Rajkumar, who passed away in October 2022, has also come alive here, recreating the scene of his National award-winning film as a child artiste – Bettada Hoo. 

Manjunath said, “The demand for environmental friendly clay Ganesha idols modelled after Balak Ram is more this time. A group of youths who have ordered for the idol, also gave a photo to make the idol resembling Balak Ram. I have made several such idols of three-feet tall. I have been making the idols with that of the replicas of actors Puneeth Rajkumar and Yash for the last two years.”

Several idol-makers and vendors have set up make-shift stalls in various parts of city. Those celebrating the festival in public places are busy building the pandal. Puja materials at markets are being sold briskly.