write about idea of eco- friendly ganpati festival
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Every year, Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations culminate in the immersion of Ganesha idols into the sea, rivers, lakes or ponds. As most idols are made from Plaster of Paris and toxic, non-biodegradable chemical colours, the immersion ends up causing considerable harm to marine life. In a bid to reduce the environmental damage, many devotees have begun installing Ganpati idols that are both innovative and eco-friendly. A report by the Hindustan Times observes that there has been a dramatic jump in the demand for 'green' idols to celebrate the festival this year.
Here are some of the most creative eco-friendly Ganpatis doing the rounds:
Plant-a-Ganesha
Mumbai artist Dattadri Kothur creates eco-friendly Ganpati idols that are made from red soil and fertilisers, and contain plant seeds. At the end of the 10-day festival, the idols undergo a symbolic immersion. Instead of being immersed in a water body, the idol is placed in an accompanying pot and watered until it dissolves. Thanks to the lady finger or tulsi seeds are sown in the pot, the idol grows back as a plant.
Candy wrapper Ganesha
When it comes to keeping this festival 'fresh', sculptors and idol makers seem to be taking things quite literally. For the last two years, giant Ganesha statues made from Mentos mint candy wrappers have been doing the rounds in Mumbai. Last year there was a very 'sweet' 6-foot Ganesha decorating a pandal in Malad. And, this year, a society from Byculla West has produced another imposing Ganesha, innovatively incorporating candy wrappers in different hues.
Fish-friendly Ganesha:For the second year in a row, Mumbai-based NGO Sprouts Environmental Trust is making idols that fish can eat. The brainchild of ecologist Anand Pendharkar of the Sprouts Environmental Trust, the statues are made with clay and stuffed with fish-friendly food such as corn, spinach, wheat and vegetable powder. The team has also reduced the size of the idols and decorated them with biodegradable, organic colours such as turmeric, chandan and gerua.
Gobar Ganesha
Several Ganpati makers have taken to substituting cow dung for clay in the interest of preserving the environment. This greener method of producing Ganesha idols, according to a report in the Deccan Chronicle that quotes one of the many manufacturers who have taken up this green initiative, "can be immersed easily in lakes, and can also act as manure for plants."
Chocolate Ganesha:
He is born again.....This time almost 5 feet tall because this is the 5 year of the same practice of visarjan in milk and then distribution of the milk among the underprivileged kids
The world knows him as the chocolate Ganesha but I know it's not just chocolate, he is born out of my soul.
It took me more than 50 kg of chocolate, 60 hours and tremendous amount of love.
Like every year he will stay in this form for five days and then he will be transformed into the smiles of hundreds of underprivileged kids. As always Visarjan will be in milk and then those children will become one with the divinity forever when they will consume the chocolate milk as prasad. Afterall, bappa's favorite place to reside is inside us, nowhere else.
I have kept my promise made to bappa. This year have taught choco bappa to as many people as I can. People have adopted this concept across the globe. Change is definitely happening.
He is born again, my labour of love.
Commercial designer turned baker Rintu Rathod has been adding a sweet touch to the festival with her chocolate Ganeshas. Five years ago, the sight of half-dissolved Ganpati statues cluttering Mumbai beaches made Rathod determined to minimise her carbon footprint. She began making chocolate Ganeshas which, upon immersion in milk, became the perfect recipe for milkshakes, much to the delight of children in different orphanages where the milkshake is then distributed.
This year, Rathod has upped the ante: she has baked a five-feet tall chocolate Ganpati that weighs a whopping 50 kg. She toiled for over 60 hours on the Ganpati, and will eventually dissolved it in milk to create a chocolate-shake prasad that will be distributed to children across Mumbai.Sugarcane Ganesha:While going green might be a new trend for many Ganpati followers, one family in Mulund has been minimising their carbon footprint during the festival for over a quarter century. According to a report in the Times of India, the family worships a pyramid of sugarcane sticks that represents the pandal, and are distributed on the day of the immersion as prasad to friends and family members. Last year, in an attempt to avoid plastic materials and chemical colours in Tamil Nadu, 20 workers produced a 2-tonne Ganpati made entirely of sugarcane sticks