When Devotion Meets Art: Arun Datte's Navratri Creations at the Parel Workshop

In Parel, where the scent of clay and the rhythm of hammer and chisel mark the seasons, sculptors have kept alive Mumbai’s festival traditions for generations. Among them, one name has steadily risen — Arun Datte, a murtikaar whose artistry has given the city’s idols a new vocabulary of storytelling. Known today as the creator of the much-talked-about “Balancing Ganpati” and the majestic Parel Cha Maharaja, Datte’s journey is a reminder of how devotion, craft, and innovation can meet in perfect balance.

Early years at the workshop

Datte began as an apprentice in the buzzing Parel workshop, under the guidance of Vijay Khatu, also known as the maestro of murtikaars, where idol-making is more than a livelihood — it is a legacy. Surrounded by senior sculptors, he learned the language of clay: how to shape it with patience, how to respect proportion, and how to carry forward traditions that define Mumbai’s Ganeshotsav and Navratri celebrations. Over the years, he earned his place not just as a skilled craftsman but as an artist with ideas that could push boundaries.

What sets him apart is the way he looks at idols. For Datte, every murti is more than a form; it is an expression. "Whether sculpting Ganesh or Durga, he works to weave a narrative into the idol’s posture, gesture, or gaze", says Datte's colleague, who is also a part of the Parel Cha Maharaja Mandal.  His idols aren’t just placed in pandals they arrive with a story.

The tilt that captured Mumbai

In 2025, Datte’s creativity reached an unforgettable milestone with the unveiling of Parel Cha Maharaja. "This Ganpati was unlike anything the city had seen tilted dramatically, leaning as though caught mid-motion, yet firmly balanced", says Datte's junior sculptor. He further adds: "Crowds gasped at the sight. Was it safe? How was it standing at such an angle? What did it mean?". 

For Datte, the tilt was not just a technical stunt; it was symbolic. "Life itself is about balance — between joy and struggle, tradition and modernity, faith and uncertainty", says Datte. By giving Ganpati this bold, off-centre stance, he transformed the murti into a metaphor for resilience and harmony.

Behind the spectacle was painstaking engineering. Datte and his team worked for months, calculating the idol’s centre of gravity, layering internal supports, and testing materials to ensure safety. The final result was not only structurally sound but spiritually stirring.

From local admiration to viral fame

The unveiling of the “Balancing Ganpati” did not stay confined to Parel’s lanes. Within hours of its arrival, videos and photographs flooded social media. Onlookers shared clips in awe, and soon the idol became a talking point far beyond Mumbai. The Parel Cha Maharaja wasn’t just another Ganpati idol that year — it was the city’s pride, a viral sensation, and proof that traditional crafts can thrive in the digital age.

For Arun Datte, who had quietly worked for years in his workshop, the sudden recognition was overwhelming. People wanted to know the man behind the clay, the mind behind the balance. His artistry had not only given his community an unforgettable Ganpati but also brought him into the limelight as one of the city’s most innovative sculptors.

Balancing tradition with change

While the balancing Ganpati gave Datte fame, his larger body of work shows a deeper commitment: keeping the murtikaar tradition alive while responding to contemporary needs. He has often spoken about the importance of eco-friendly materials, community involvement, and respecting the ritual purpose of idols even while experimenting with form.

In Navratri too, his Durga idols carry a distinct style — fierce yet graceful, rooted in traditional iconography but refreshed with fine detailing and bold expressions. His work continues to strike a chord because it respects faith while engaging with the imagination of today’s audience.

More than a stunt

What made the Parel Cha Maharaja so impactful was that it wasn’t merely a visual trick. It became a symbol of the city’s spirit, daring, adaptable, and unshaken despite challenges. For devotees, the tilt was not just an artistic choice but a divine reminder: no matter how unsteady life may seem, faith keeps us grounded.

Despite his rising fame, Datte remains grounded. In conversation, he credits his workshop team, his mentors, and the community of Parel for the success of his idols. For him, murti-making is not about personal glory but about service, to tradition, to art, and to the countless people who come with folded hands seeking blessings.

Looking ahead

With the popularity of the balancing Ganpati, expectations from Datte have grown. More mandals and households now look to him for idols that carry both beauty and meaning. His challenge will be to keep innovating without losing the essence of what makes his work devotional. If his journey so far is any indication, Arun Datte is set to continue shaping not just clay but the cultural memory of Mumbai’s festivals. Today, he is the murtikaar for Mumbai's many Navratri pandals, and one of them is the extraordinary 'Khetwadichi Aai'. 

Arun Datte’s story is one of patience, perseverance, and vision. From his humble beginnings in a crowded workshop to creating one of the most unforgettable Ganpati idols of recent years, he has shown how tradition and innovation can stand together — in perfect balance.