by Priya Prakash 

Pune: The iconic Handmade Paper Institute (HMPI) Pune never fails to add extra value to the festival with its innovations. This year HMPI is all set with new Ganpati idols made up of 90% Paper pulp and 10% adhesive and Shaadu Maati. Their successful experiment with Paper mache Ganpati has been appreciated by customers from different parts of the country like Bangalore, Delhi, Maharashtra as well as Indian people living in different countries.

The paper pulp is produced in HMPI’s factory which is located in Shivajinagar near the agriculture college, then the pulp is provided to artisans in Pen who add Shaadu maati to paper pulp. After the procedure of producing paper mache, the artisans give the shape of Ganpati using modules. 100 idols are produced every day and almost 600 Ganpati idols have been sold in 2021 out of the 50 have been sent to Indian customers living in different countries.

Founder of the Company, Mr. Mangesh Lohapatre said, “Every year the team tries to come up with innovative ideas, and this year we have produced Ganpati idols which are 100% percent sustainable, eco-friendly, sturdy, and recyclable. Talking about the details of the idol Lohapatre shared, as they are paper mache, they are very lightweight approximately 600 gram and 9 inches long.  They will completely dissolve in 5 to 6 hours after immersion.

There are three variants of idols, first painted in traditional red and yellow colours, second, painted in terracotta, and lastly white Ganapati with which they provide 6 colours and 2 brushes so that a family can come together and spend quality time colouring their beloved Ganpati idol.

Lohapatre says each idol costs approximately rupees 1250, and anyone can connect through their social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Website. A customer, Ms. Ujjwala, liked the idols so much that she sent them to the US for her daughter.

About the Author:

Priya Prakash is a student at Vishwakarma University, Pune.