An Artist’s Vision: Check Out Mumbai's Sarvangi Arts for Heritage Ganpati Decor

Ganesh Chaturthi is arriving sooner than you think and it’s time to go shopping. There’s much to do and the first thing on the list is decor for Ganpati Bappa. Curating the Makhar, lighting, flowers and more is a fun creative activity and everyone participates in it. And while thermocol and plastic are no longer cool, it can be tough to find something that looks and feels right. That’s why Local Samosa went to Thane’s Sarvangi Arts to check out their eco-friendly Ganpati decor made from Indian heritage fabrics. 

An Artist’s Vision

Sarvangi Arts is the vision of commercial artist Mr. Sandesh Gaonkar that was brought to life with the help of his supporting family. What started 7 years ago as a passion project is now a booming part-time venture that gets sold out every single year. “As an artist, I have always tried to create something unique. Today, I have gained two decades of experience in an ad agency and now a corporate company. I am also juggling Sarvangi Arts as a side business”, he elaborated. The success of any product can be measured with the reception it receives from the audience. And the brand is receiving praise year after year.

The Use of Indian Heritage Fabrics

The 2017 Marathi TV serial Swarajyarakshak Sambhaji was the catalyst for the inclusion of Ilkal as a fabric for the decor. Mr. Gaonkar said, “Since the era of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, we have seen Ilkal being a part of everyday use.” Ilkal sarees are bright and do offer a novel canvas. 

This year, the new addition to their eco-friendly collection is the Shahi Lakhota, a velvet based piece available in purple and red. It has golden elements like a border and beads along with the line, “Sarvangi Sundar Uti Shendurachi” from Ganpati Bappa’s aarti. 

The Ilkal Circle Makhar is quite unique with a folding fan-like piece that can be quickly assembled without any hassles. There’s also the Paithani Circle which is unfortunately sold-out. These are also available in two colours.

A sold-out creation was the mirror-based backdrop piece. It was made of a bunch of parts with beautiful colours, designs and mirrors. In some regions, it is said that Ganpati Bappa should have a mirror behind him. You can see that idea being reflected in the decor actor Nana Patekar does for Ganesha at his home.

Apart from that, Ganpati Bappa’s pitambar (a style of dhoti-like bottoms) are also done in bright, lively colours. So the brand decided to use colours that complement all of that.

Easy to Ship, Store & Assemble

The entire Makhar fits into a medium sized box and is really easy to assemble. The weight of the box doesn’t exceed 5 kgs which is great for transport. Internationally, the volume metric weight is 4 kgs. The kit also includes a ‘How to Build’ guide which makes it easy to assemble for anyone and everyone. Mr. Gaonkar mentioned, “It will not take you more than 5 minutes to put it all together”.

The Makhar options also come with matching bolster covers in the same colour and fabric. “We have gone down the invention route and made the load pillows air-loaded instead of using cotton. The goal was to make the entire package lightweight and that people should be able to store it with ease after the festive season,” explained Mr. Gaonkar.

Delivering Across the Globe

You can choose your choice of Makhar online or via WhatsApp. The order will be delivered to you by 30th August so that you have plenty of time to sort of the rest of the decor. Sarvangi Arts has tied up with DHL so that they can deliver to the USA in 5 days and to Australia and the UK in 7 days. The products have become such a big hit that consumers are gifting it to their loved ones.

The Ilkal Lakhota is priced at Rs. 3,200, the Ilkal Circle and Shahi Lakhota cost Rs. 4,100 and the Mirror Backdrop Piece at Rs. 5,000. “We have kept the prices under Rs. 5,000, so that it’s affordable for everyone. We’ve also kept the collection small, using bright and nice colours that people usually go for,” shared Mr. Gaonkar.

Connect with them via WhatsApp at 9869438118 and place your order.