The elephant-headed god, Lord Ganesha, is one of the most beloved and revered amongst the Indian deities. Every year, we celebrate the ten-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi festival in his honour. In the western states of India, particularly Maharashtra, families welcome the god by installing Ganesh murtis (idols) in their homes and setting up pandals in public places. Traditionally made with clay, and now PoP (Plaster of Paris), they come in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs. But little do we know about the 'murtikars', the people responsible for crafting these beautiful idols. My curiosity to learn more took me to the small town of Pen in Maharashtra, home to the traditional Ganesha idol making industry. All year around, the murtikars here work in their karkhanas and mass produce the idols that are then sold in metro cities. During my visit to Pen, I was exposed to the various processes of idol making and got a peek into the life of the murtikar for whom the traditional art form has evolved into a year round occupation.