Maharashtra: India's Ganesh idol makers count cost of devastating floods
Devastating floods in India's Maharashtra state have destroyed hundreds of thousands of clay Ganesh idols just weeks before the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The disaster has severely impacted the livelihoods of thousands of artisans who rely on this seasonal industry.
Why it matters
The destruction highlights the economic vulnerability of traditional craft industries to climate-related disasters and extreme weather events.
Image source, Shardul Kadam Image caption, Over 300,000 idols have been damaged in the devastating rains
Standing among the broken remains of hundreds of clay idols in his workshop in India's Raigad district, sculptor Dilip Mhatre struggles to hold back his emotions.
Just weeks before Ganesh Chaturthi, one of the country's biggest religious festivals honouring the Hindu deity Ganesha, floods have destroyed six months of his work.
The 40-year-old had completed about 500 clay idols of the elephant-headed god, worth around 800,000 rupees ($8,300; £6,200), which were due to be delivered across the western state of Maharashtra, where Raigad is located, over the coming weeks.
"But the flood washed everything away," he says. "We have no idols, no moulds and no raw material. We don't know how we'll fulfil the orders now."
Mhatre's loss is part of a wider crisis unfolding in Raigad.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in