People buy idols of Goddess Saraswati in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 2: Preparations are on in full swing for Saraswati Puja, which falls on Tuesday.

Idol-makers are offering a wide range of choices for devotees. The Goddess of knowledge, music and arts can be found in plain white as well as in myriad hued avatars.

The colourful idols of the deity attracted a large number of people, who went shopping on Sunday.

The artistes have followed the traditional route, despite using various colours.

Apparently, they did not use their imagination as flamboyantly as during Ganesh Chaturthi. The idols of the deity sitting on a lotus with the veena in her hands are available in all sizes with the small ones about a foot tall while the bigger ones are as high as 10feet.

The price ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 5,000 depending on the size, quality of colours and intricacy of the craftsmanship. Some sellers could be seen rendering final touches to their masterpieces.

A number of sellers complained of a slump in sales this year. “The major share of the sales would take place a day before and on the day of the festival. Till Sunday, the sales have been pretty average. They are many sellers but few buyers,” said Kunu, who has been selling idols at Unit-I market for 15 years now. Creating a big idol can take a month.

“While the entirely white Saraswati is the most preferred choice, but with time, people have accepted the colourful ones. Trends keep changing as we artisans also try to create something new. But one has to be very careful as not to harm any religious sentiment while exuding creativity,” he said.

While people buy small idols for their homes, educational institutions across the city are the major clients who buy the bigger ones. Schoolchildren also accompanied their parents to the market. The children look forward to the festival because Saraswati Puja is a no-study day for them.

“I have been given the task of buying an idol for my institution. My colleagues have busy buying other puja items, festoons, lights and other decorations,” said Manoranjan Hota, a teacher working at a private college who came looking for an idol. Also known as Basant Panchami, the festival will be celebrated across the state.