COVID gloom: Low key Saraswati Puja, idol makers see slump in sales

Agartala (Tripura) [India], February 2 (ANI): Idol makers witness a drastic fall in sales ahead of Saraswati Puja with almost zero demand for big size profit worthy idols.
As the schools have already decided to organize Pujas with the restricted presence of students and parents given the COVID-19 situations, idol makers feel that owing to the restrained arrangements customers tend to purchase low-budget idols.
One of the noted idol makers of Tripura, an office-bearer of All Tripura Clay Artisan Association, Uttam Chakraborty said, "We have prepared adequate numbers of idols but comparatively footfalls of customers are less. Barring a few parties, nobody showed up to order or buy idols for the Puja slated to be held on next Saturday.''
The clay artisans heaved a sigh of relief after the Tripura government reopened schools with full attendance. "Had the schools not started, we would have incurred serious losses. Since Devi Saraswati is worshipped in all the educational institutes across the state, we hope that reopening of schools may give the market a positive spin", he told ANI.
Chakraborty also added that purchasers were eager to buy low-budget idols instead of big idols.
"The small idols are not profitable anymore. Prices of raw materials used for idol making are increasing exponentially over the past few years but in comparison prices of idols could be raised in the same proportion", said Chakraborty.
Another idol maker from Agartala's Netaji Chowmuhani, Ratan Rudra Paul said, the relaxations in Covid curbs come as a welcome step at this point of time.
"COVID-19 does not affect my business. The adverse impact of the pandemic is visible across the Globe and businesses all over the state bore the brunt of it. But relaxation in COVID-19 curbs ahead of the festival is a welcome step in view of the people who are engaged in idol making or selling of other Puja-related stuff," added Paul. (ANI)