MYSURU: With the auspicious month of Shravana around the corner, Mysuru city residents are getting ready for the festival season starting with Nagara Panchami and Ganesha Chathurti . But for a change starting from this year, devotees and organisations can't use the Ganesha idols made of plaster of paris with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) making it clear that only clay/ mud Ganesha idols will be allowed this year. Thus, traditional idol makers are expecting huge demand for the art they are preserving for generations.Jayashankar S, 68, a resident of KR Mohalla started preparing idols when he was just five years. Since then every year he was engaged in doing only clay/ mud idols. Speaking to Times of India, Jayashankar informed that with the arrival of idols made out of plaster of paris, there was bit slow down. "But from this year again only clay/ mud made Ganesha idols will be allowed. So, I am expecting increased demand," he said.Jayashankar's family engaged in mud/ clay Ganesha idol making since three generations. "My grandfather B Puttaswamy learnt this art at Chamaraja Technical Institutes in pre-independence era. I learnt this art from him after my SSLC. Many of our family members are engaged in idol making," he said.Jayashankar informed that shortage of quality mud is one of the issues this year. "Ganesha idols made out of plaster of paris can't create devotional feelings among the devotees. But clay/mud idols are prepared according to the shastras. This year even though there may be good demand, I am facing the shortage of mud to prepare idol's," he said."I am bringing mud from either Udbur lake or Narasipura lake. A tractor load of mud costs us Rs. 2.500. I prepare Ganesha idols from 3-4 inches to 5 feet," he said.According to the plaster of paris idol suppliers, following the ban orders, several families engaged in the preparation of idols and selling have become job less. Kannan Tirumalesh, a plaster of paris Ganesha idol supplier said that it was the paints used to decorate the idols are the real culprits. "But we need to follow the government order. This we are in talks with rural artisans who want to supply mud idols to the city. But the issue is it is not easy to transport them or store them as even few drops of rain can spoil an idol," he said.

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