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Did you know that this house, in the village of Loutolim, has over 4,000 Ganesha idols? Casa Araujo Alvares, owned by Maendra Alvares, has a unique Ganesha collection which was started in 2006.
Maendra Alvares, curator of Ancestral Goa museum, reminisces how the collection began and took form.
“This collection started in 2006 when I was invited as a judge for various competitions. I would mostly get mementos of a Ganesha idol. So, I kept all these mementos, and over time, I decided to put up the collection on display,” he says and adds that the latest Ganesha idol was from Bali, and gifted to him by his daughter.
"Over the years, they kept increasing and I kept them. Now, I have more than 4,000 idols,” he adds.
It was not a solitary effort, but Maendra was supported by friends and well-wishers who helped him with his collection.
“When my friends saw that I had been collecting these Ganesha idols, they started giving me more to add to the collection,” he explains.
He developed a penchant for collecting more idols, which focused on the essence of folk art and concentrated on the craftsmanship of the artisans.
“The idols from Sawantwadi are made of wood, the ones from the Southern belt are made from roots, and in the North, you’ll find marble. So, I’m planning to collect as many as I can,” says Maendra, as he places the Ganesha idol from Bali in one of the many cabinets that he has made for the idols.
The smallest Ganesha idol he has is made on a grain of rice, while the biggest one is around three feet tall. From metal to wood, porcelain to stone and even gold plated, Maendra has very meticulously kept all the Ganesha idols depending on the type of material they are made of.
In addition, he has also extended his passion for collecting these idols to those from foreign countries.
"I'm looking for Ganesha idols from different countries. I have friends and family who got me idols from Nepal, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and even China," he reveals.
He continues, “Lord Ganesha is known for guiding, blessing with wisdom, good luck and is worshipped before starting any major endeavours. So, hopefully by next year, I can bring the count up to 5,000 Ganesha Idols,” he quips as he signs out.