At an age when many choose to slow down, 85-year-old Tulshidas Hari Naik from Fatorda continues to breathe life into clay with the same passion he embraced more than six decades ago.
For the past 61 years, Naik has been handcrafting traditional Lord Ganesh idols, preserving an age-old art that has become synonymous with devotion, patience and craftsmanship.
Inside his modest workshop, Sarvang Sundar Chitrashala, the festive spirit begins months before Ganesh Chaturthi. Every year, Naik and his family meticulously create around 700 eco-friendly Ganesh idols, each shaped and finished by hand using traditional techniques passed down through generations.
Despite his age, Naik remains actively involved in every stage of the idol-making process. His family works alongside him, ensuring that the legacy he built over six decades continues to flourish.