Hand-made Goodu Deepas to usher in traditional Deepavali

There are numerous crafts that families used to excel in but are no longer being pursued. The handcrafted Goodu Deepas (sky lamps) that illuminate the nights during Deepavali, the festival of lights, are one example of this. The market is swamped with computer-cut sky lamps that are jazzy, colourful, simple to purchase, and simple to install. The craft of making hand-crafted Goodu Deepas is dwindling in this tumult.

But hold on! We still have hope! Due to their talent and love for handcrafted Goodu Deepas, a select group of young people are working hard to preserve the art and spread it more quickly. As a result, families are discovering the fun of making their own sky lamps for Deepavali, and many have even dared to make one for their porticos.

"After a long lull, art has started to connect with families. When I was a child, my father and older brother used to make their own Goodu Deepas using inexpensive materials like thin strands of bamboo, twine, homemade glue, and transparent crepe paper. It was a three-day process, and every so often, the ladies of the house would call out, "Are you done?

"During Deepavali, I thought of Raviraj Kotekani, a skilled craftsman of traditional sky lamps. "Back then, it was such a big deal that we would go shopping for coloured sheets in addition to candy and fireworks supplies! Pranesh Kudroli an avid Goodu Deepa maker.

Both Ravi and Pranesh spoke about the craft and expertise involved in crafting them with such fervour. Every strand of bamboo or rattan must be carefully prepared and measured for its size. Even the thread that is used to bind them must be chosen so that it does not cut when applied pressure. There are standards to be followed, math and craft must be considered, there are 4, 8, and 12 frame structures, rectangle, square, triangle, and multi deck framework is involved. The glass paper must be used to make the bulb, holder, and wire visible in order to give it a truly vintage appearance. The old Goodu Deepa looked like that; while today's youth may consider it crude, keep in mind that when it is hung in your porch, heads will turn, warn Ravi and Pranesh.

Jeevan, Ravi, Pranesh, and a few others make up the team. They have also gone to local communities and schools to teach kids and teens how to make the traditional Goodu Deepas.

In his Kadri art gallery, art enthusiast Harsha D'Souza, who was inspired by what these young people were doing, has organised a workshop on crafting goodu deepas. In truth, there is art in this, and if it is not made public, it may be lost to future generations. I'm organising a craft workshop to make Goodu Deepas in my gallery for the first time, and I know Mangaluru city's art enthusiasts would enjoy it," Harsha said.

Pranesh and his pals also want to exhibit their artwork in adjacent towns. "We have already displayed our artwork and inspired the local kids in Karkala, Moodbidri, and a few other suburban locations in the Mangaluru taluk. Soon, we want to take it outside of our district to neighbouring districts, possibly even to Bengaluru and Mysuru." Said Pranesh. In these days when every member of the family is engrossed in television viewing and mobile phone use, this activity during Deepavali brings them together at least for a short period of time, which makes all the difference, according to Rajani Devadiga, a homemaker in the Boloor district of Mangaluru.

A select few temples and youth organisations also display the Goodu Deepas. Every year, a competition is held at the Gokarnanatha Temple in Kudroli, where more than 600 of them are presented. *Only a small number of handcrafted Goodu Deepas are offered for sale. Enthusiasts construct scale models of everything from palaces to spaceships.