The workshop was led by renowned artist Shri. Lovely Karupayya, who guided participants through the process of creating their own Lord Ganesha idols using clay.
The morning batch, held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., had 37 participants, while the evening batch, conducted from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., had 35 participants. Participants of different age groups came together to explore their creativity and experience the joy of sculpting with their own hands.
Sessions began with prayers, followed by an introduction to the workshop and the instructor. Shri. Lovely Karupayya then demonstrated the sculpting process step-by-step, guiding participants as they carefully shaped the clay into beautiful Ganesha idols.
The workshop was not merely an art activity but also a meaningful devotional experience. As the participants completed their idols, they offered flowers to their lovingly created Ganesha. Devotional bhajans filled the atmosphere, creating a serene and spiritually uplifting environment.
The joy and satisfaction on the faces of the participants reflected the beauty of creating something with their own hands while expressing their devotion to Lord Ganesha. The sessions concluded with group photographs, followed by the distribution of prasadam to all participants.
The instructor was happily surprised that the participants, despite having no formal art training, managed to sculpt clay Ganeshas in just two and a half hours. He commended their work and encouraged them to continue practicing, emphasizing the psychological benefits of the art. Additionally, Director Maharaj urged everyone to wholeheartedly integrate this ancient cultural heritage into their daily lives. By passing these traditions down to future generations, he explained, they would deeply enrich both their secular and spiritual lives.
With 72 enthusiastic participants across two batches, the “Om Ganeshaya Namah” Clay Sculpting Workshop was a memorable celebration that beautifully brought together art, devotion, creativity and togetherness in the spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi.