Rates of ornamental items shoot through roof; decorative temples witness 25 % price rise
Rates of ornamental items shoot through roof; decorative temples witness 25 % price rise
Playing host to Ganpati and providing Him with suitable accommodation when He visits your home on his 10-day annual trip to the mortal world may weigh heavy on your pocket this festive season. Prices of all decorative itemsu00a0-- including makars, or decorated temples, where the lord is housed during the festivalu00a0-- are shooting through the roof. For instance, a 5-feet makar costs Rs 15,000 compared to Rs 11,000 last year, a rise of more than 25 per cent.
Sunil Vora, whose family has been involved in making makars for the past 25 years, said, "The demand for decorated temples has seen a spurt in the past few years as every one, irrespective of their faith, has started worshipping Lord Ganesh. It has become more of a trend than tradition. We have done brisk business during Ganesh festival in the past, but the price hike demon is killing our business this year. With prices of different commodities and labour costs increasing manifold, we had no option but to increase the prices of makars. This is keeping customers at bay and adversely affecting our business."
Echoing Sunil's sentiments, another makar manufacturer, Iten K Vora, said, "The rates have increased manifold compared to last year. There was only 7 per cent price hike last year, but this year the rates have jacked up by 25 per cent. As thermocol is a petroleum product, it has also seen a rise in the prices. Other items used in makars such as colours have also become costlier. Earlier, labour cost was Rs 300 a day, but now it has gone up to Rs 600. All these factor have jacked up the prices."
Amar Punde, a resident of Andheri who keeps Ganpati at home during Ganesh Chathurthi, said, "I don't understand on what grounds they increased the price of makars so drastically. There is hardly any expensive material used in these decorated temples. I have been playing a happy host to the Lord for 10 days during Ganesh Chathurthi every year, but this September my spending is going to be more than my earnings, thanks to the shooting prices of decorative items. A 3-feet idol comes for Rs 5,000, while a decorated temple where the God stays costs Rs 8,000."
Hot favourites
There are six different types of makars in the market. But hand carved and jhula swing makers are the hot favourites. The materials used in the making of maraks are thermocol, metallic acrylic and florescent colours and glue.
Rs 15,000 Average cost of a 5-ft marak statue this year, after the rise in prices
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