250 years on, this Indore family of artists keeps alive tradition of making Holkar-era Ganesh idols

Indore: For nearly two-and-a-half centuries, a family of artists has unflinchingly stuck to their tradition of making Holkara-era Ganesh idols in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore.

The idols are installed in the city's ‘Rajbada’ (palace of the former rulers) for the 10-day Ganesh festival every year. The festival will start on Saturday, September 7, this year.

“My ancestor Moropant Khargonekar was an artist in the darbar (court) of Devi Ahilyabai, the then Holkar ruler of Indore. Once she asked him to make a Ganesh idol that reflects the Holkar traditions,” sculptor Shyam Khargonekar (71) told PTI on Wednesday.

On the orders of Queen Devi Ahilyabai, Shyam’s forefather made a Ganesh idol in which the deity was shown sitting with grandeur in a posture of giving blessings and wearing the traditional turban that the Holkar rulers used to wear.

“Our family has been making Ganesh idols in this special style for nearly 250 years, generation after generation. The joy we get in making idols of Lord Ganesha with our own hands cannot be described in words,” he said.

The sculptor said they follow all religious practices to make the Holkar-style Ganesha idols.

“The people of our family start making the idols by reciting ‘Ganpati Atharvashirsha’ on the auspicious time of ‘Vasant Panchami’. The painting of the idol is also done at an auspicious time,” he said.

Khargonekar said that their Holkar-style Ganesha idols are made from yellow clay and environment-friendly colours, stressing that they do not use machines.

According to Holkar traditions, the idol made by his family is installed with great pomp in the city's Rajbada, he said.

Before the installation, Khargonekar said, the Ganesha idol is carried on a ‘paalki’ (palanquin) to Rajbada amid the playing of bands.

He said that several other devotees also instal idols made by his family during the Ganesh festival.