K.A.Viswanathan

 

MUMBAI: With Independence day on August 15 followed by Ganesh Chaturti on August 22, Mumbai is buzzed with activities with people visiting markets to buy flags and Ganesha idols. In spite of the restriction imposed, people still venture out maintaining the distance and wearing a mask to buy these items. At Kurla market where different varieties of flags are sold, people are eagerly buying the flags.

Also at Kumbarwada in Dharavi area, one artisan Yusuf Zakharia who makes eco-friendly Ganesha idols for the past eight years following his father’s tradition. Yusuf’s idols do not have any polluting substance such as paints or plaster of Paris. At the time of immersion, the idols dissolve in five minutes in a pot which is also given along with the idol.  Now he has been making one-foot height idols for  home, as per rules and people are showing more interest in buying these