Hyderabad, Sept. 10 -- Gajanand Singh was 15 when he made his first Ganesh idol, a six-foot Balaji Ganesh in a yellow dhoti and red shawl. Now 38, his enthusiasm remains undiminished.

"This is my favourite time of the year because I get to make so many Ganesh idols from scratch," he says.

Hyderabad is getting ready for one of its biggest Hindu festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi. So are scores of artisans in Dhoolpet, Uppal and elsewhere in the city, working day and night to send millions of idols to homes and pandals.

Siasat.com visited Singh's workshop, which doubles as his home. The place smells of paint, Plaster of Paris (PoP) mixture and unfinished idols.

His wife, Usha Rani, who looks after sales, says he does not like anyone touching h...