Clay Idols of Maharashtra

Many small trucks which are transporting them, in various shapes, sizes and colors, to all parts of Maharashtra, and even to places as far as half way around the world to the US.

Pen, located about 80 kms, Southeast of Mumbai, in Raigad district is the center of production for the clay idols of the Hindu God of Luck and Prosperity, Ganesha. Over 30,000 of the residents of this Pen are involved in the value chain of raw material procurement, creation of idols to transportation to places in Maharashtra and even overseas. This process started in 1970 with improved road transport from Pen to Mumbai and Pune giving Pen a strategic locational advantage and the entrepreneurial spirit of the place turned this local art form into a hub of idol production.

While most of the raw material is sourced out of Pen with the clay from Gujarat, the colors are now available in the local markets, sourced by the traders to suit changing needs and trends. While casts of forms and shapes are available, the process of coloring and making unique is a highly developed art here.