Devotion often finds expression in many forms, through prayers, rituals, songs, or art. For a family of Nagpur, it has taken the form of a remarkable collection of Lord Ganesh idols, lovingly gathered over decades from across the country. Each idol in their home is also a reflection of India’s diverse traditions, crafts, and materials. The story of this collection began years ago with artist Ramesh Satpute’s mother, who first brought idols to their home. Later, his sister, Bhagyalakshmi Satpute, and Ramesh Satpute himself, carried forward the practice by bringing idols that caught their eyes during travels. Whenever they visited a new city, the family would step into museums or browse souvenir shops, returning with yet another unique form of Lord Ganesh.

 

“Whenever I come across a design that looks different from anything I had seen before, I make sure to bring it home,” recalled Bhagyalakshmi Satpute with a smile. Today, the family’s home is a space where devotion and artistry come together. The idols range from the traditional to the unusual, crafted in silver, brass, glass, marble, wood, ceramic, and even coconut shells’ waste. There is a beautifully carved idol in a conch shell, picked up at a seaside souvenir shop, while another, glowing faintly in the dark, is made of radium. From the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, they brought back Ganesh idols made of shells and even grains, while Konkan gave them one made from rice ‘dhaan’. Rajasthan added a marble idol to the shelves, while West Bengal contributed two pieces – one made of shola wood, a material used for Goddesses’ ornaments and bridal crowns (mukut), and another, a hand-painted bamboo sheet bought at Shantiniketan’s famous Poush Mela. Among the most striking pieces is an idol of ‘panchdhatu’, bought nearly 25 years ago. Each idol reminds the family of the cities they visited and others of the artisans they met.

 

“We have brought idols from so many different places that the origins of some idols are now a blur because of the sheer variety,” they mentioned. Amid this vast assortment, one idol holds the place of highest reverence. A brass Ganesh idol, weighing nearly 40 kilograms, has been with the family for over 60 years. Unlike most households, they do not bring clay idols during Ganesh Chaturthi. Instead, year after year, the brass Ganesh is ceremoniously worshipped. The family’s collection, carefully built across time and distance, is an example that devotion is not only in worship but also in the effort to preserve and cherish.