Ganesha might be the God of shooing away all obstacles, but handcrafting your own elephant god might actually work as a stress buster

Ganesha might be the God of shooing away all obstacles, but handcrafting your own elephant god might actually work as a stress buster

There's always something fascinating about a modish creation. And when it's something as inimitable as making your own Ganesha, the joy of getting your hands dirty simply doubles up.

I was a little skeptical, with an "I-have-never-done-it" frame of mind when I walked into the organic restaurant Modak in Koramangala with Ganesha idols strewn all around-on the walls, for puja and decoration besides many placed on the table that were just fresh off the hands of the previous batch of eager learners.

A few of them were also lagging behind still engaged at the Ganesha making workshop. "Look no further and settle down", chides Pramod Chakravarthy Stephen, a creative bank, a Diploma in Fine Arts, who has laid his hands on various art mediums (Theatre, Music, Art, Photography, Films, and Multimedia etc) during his 18 years of experience.

Pramod runs the Tara Learning Centre in JP Nagar, a space for children from two to fifteen years where they play, read, dream, discuss, create, observe and listen to the many wonders of the world.

Pramod can hold creative workshops around town for a batch of 15 or more of any age, if you wish to have him over.
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Currently they have an Arts Club, Literary Club, Theatre Club, Nature/Adventure club and a Music club at their centre, besides fun activities like crafting ornamental home decorating works, hand-building clay models, wheeling pottery, bird watching, star gazing, scaling hillocks, walking less-trodden-paths on mountains, handcrafting silken lampshades, making murals and modaka Ganesha; moving to the rhythms of kolata and dandiya; playing on the keyboard, tabla and guitar among others.

Without much ado, I was sitting cross-legged with clay and tools on the table and a plywood board of 1' x 1' size.

The patient instructor asked me to make a clay ball and roll it round and then into an oval, followed by two more elongated sausage-sized ones, which were to form the idols legs.

I was already consumed, following the instructions got me engaged with every step. We made the hands and also placed a tiny ball for a clay modak on one.

The feeling of My Ganesha crept in and then ensued a secret motherly bond as I placed the head discreetly on the body. A bowl of water was placed alongside to keep the hands moist at all times during the two-hour workshop.

I rolled the trunk and fixed it turning towards left and then flattened a round clay ball cutting it into half for the two large ears.

A sharp piece of wood was used to add special effects and Pramod helped give the necessary curves to my well-rounded creation, finishing off with the eyes. I was told the idols are best kept eco friendly, and hence are thankfully not smeared with paint.

The gratifying Ganesha making workshop was completely therapeutic and almost seemed like meditation. Try something unique this Ganesh Chaturthi by making one on your own.

At: Tara Learning Centre
# 2, 1st Main, RBI SC/ST Gautam Housing Ltd, JP Nagar 8th Phase.
Call: 4166 3492.
On till: September 10.
For: Rs 350 inclusive of materials.
Email: pramodstephen@taralearningcentre.com
Upcoming activities at the centre:u00a0 Sale of eco friendly Ganeshas, besides Make-your-own Ganesha.