NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 22, 2006: Chinese-made icons of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are flooding Indian markets, especially during festivals like Diwali, Durga Puja and Ganesha Chaturthi, raking in a lot of money. On top of their neat and shiny appearance, consumers find the price tag just right. The demand for them is soaring, mainly because they are considered the best choice for decoration if not for immersion in ponds and lakes. And what began as a trickle some years ago has now become a flood. “The demand has grown exponentially since last year and people are finding it more attractive than the Indian-made icons,” Sharad Goyal of Kriti Creations, a shop in south Delhi’s Khan Market. Bikky Khosla, chief executive of tradeindia.com said, “This huge influx of Chinese goods have killed almost 60 percent of our cottage industry. However, in this age of globalization we cannot run away from these issues but we need to empower our artisans and give them proper training.”
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