COVID-19: Sharp drop in sale of Ganpati idols in Delhi ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to dampen festive spirits ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi as idol makers in the national capital said that footfall in the market hit new lows, slashing the sale by at least 80 per cent.

"This year, the footfall in the market is very low due to fear of COVID-19 infection. We have never seen this kind of situation during the festive season. The customers are purchasing the smaller one to two-foot idols. Business is only about 20 per cent as compared to previous years. We even had to buy the mud to make these idols at a higher price as it comes from Kolkata," Satish Kumar, an idol maker told .

He further added that he had bought the stock with borrowed money and did not know how he was going to pay it back.

"We bought this whole stock of idols with borrowed money at an interest rate of about 10 per cent. I had no other choice as I did not have any money to buy the goods on my own. Looking at the number of customers, I don't know how I am going to pay back the loan," Kumar said.

Mahinder, one of the few shoppers in the market, said that he was only shopping for smaller idols as idol immersion is not permitted this year due to the pandemic.

"We are quite disheartened that we cannot celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi due to COVID-19 outbreak. We have just planned a pooja in our residence. Only a small idol is required for that. We do not need to buy the larger ones as idol immersion is not permitted this year," he said.

The 10-day festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi, the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, will begin on August 22. The festival will end with the final immersion of the Ganesha idols, called the Visarjan.

( With inputs from ANI )