Overview
- Artisans in Pen have ramped up double shifts across thousands of workshops to complete about 1.8 million idols by August 25.
- A June 9 Bombay High Court ruling lifted a PoP ban that had stalled work in May and pushed production into a shorter window.
- Plaster of Paris prices have risen roughly 20–25 percent to about ₹2,010 per sack, driving up costs for clay, bamboo, paints and labour.
- Eco-friendly shaadu clay remains rare for large idols because it takes longer to sculpt despite official incentives.
- New interim rules require idols under six feet to be immersed only in artificial ponds and allow larger figures limited natural-water immersion until March 2026.