Carving and shaping for Diwali

This piece along with the pictures were done in a two hour period after a advertisement which was to be filled in this space fell through and the RE asked me to quickly think of an Photo Medley. After a lot of thought I came about this idea since I see these clay workers toiling every day on my way to the office. So rushed to the place which a large number of this craftsmen community has named the ‘Prajapati’ in Bhopal on 22nd October, 2002. This was published the next day in the Hindustan Times – Bhopal Edition.

Giving final touches to the lamps (left), a lot of labour goes for the earthen look that wins clients aplenty (right).

Come October, the City market is flooded with earthen lamps and Lakshmi idols in myriad shapes and sizes. It’s during this season that the Prajapati community gets busy with mud and clay. This community which for generations has mastered the art of making Lakshmi idols and earthen lamps are small in number but enough to serve the City’s demands so much so that their clientele range from far flung cities throughout the state and elsewhere, too.
This community became popular in the early 20th century when Ram Prasad Gajapati Prajapati was awarded for Lakshmi idol carvings by the then ruler of Bhopal. More Prajapatis came to the City and started this handy job which lasts only for a couple of months or so.

Rekha Prajapati with her son Gajnand completing the colour work of the idols at their home in Nehru Nagar (left), Ram Dayal Prajapati takes his lamps for heating them under fire (right).

There are two different sects among them – one making the earthen lamps and the other that makes the Lakshmi Idols. The community is spread all over the City from Bairagarh to Mangalwara; from Arera Colony to Nehru Nagar.
What is unique about their idols? Sharp features, interesting color combination says Muni Prajapati, the granddaughter of Gajapati while the great grandson Uma Shankar Prajapati, who has a masters degree in science, says that for want of any good jobs he helps his mother during these months. He also added that the community has ventured into making Durga, Ganesh idols apart from the original Lakshmi idols and lamps.

Sunita Prajapati works on the Lakshmi idols (left), Uma Shankar, a masters degree holder, arranging the idols to help his mother (right).

The Lakshmi idols cost around Rs 15- 25 a piece while the lamps would cost between Rs 175 – 200 per thousand pieces. When Kailash Prajapati from Mangalwara was asked about the profitability of their vocation he insisted that if the buyers are happy during Diwali then they are happy, too. Gain or no gain, thanks to this community, the city definitely gains with several houses worshipping idols shaped by them and lit up with earthen lamps that have been their creations for several decades.

Naresh Prajapati adding colour to the idols (left), Muni Prajapati working at her house in Nehru Nagar (right).