Karnataka idol makers face loss as sales dip by half ahead of Dussehra

Bengaluru: As the festive season comes with several restrictions this year with the government banning mass gatherings, the idol makers are incurring heavy losses. Ahead of Durga Puja, the idol makers in Karnataka struggle to sell big idols of Goddess Durga as people decide to limit the celebration to their homes.

Customers this year are preferring to buy doll size idols to celebrate Dussehra at their homes. A customer said, "We are planning to not invite anyone else in our homes. We're going to buy the dolls & celebrate with friends by video conferencing." 

Not only Karnataka but idol makers in Mumbai are also facing a similar issue after lockdown because sales have plummeted.

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However after the release of Unlock guidelines some people have started approaching the idol makers. A UP based idol maker told ANI, "We`re in the business of making idols the entire year. We prepared idols for Dussehra before the lockdown and since then have kept them in our shops. Nobody approached us until the unlock guidelines were released. Now organisers have approached us for Durga idols." 

At the same time West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that the celebration would be held, though with a lot of restrictions. She said that the need for erecting open marquees (pandals) to contain the spread of virus is important.