Ensuring Dignified Adieu To Lord Ganesha

Amidst the exquisite fanfare in the past 11 days, the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities have now come to an end. Made using Plaster of Paris (PoP), lakhs of idols were immersed in water bodies which further floated back to shores in broken pieces as they did not dissolve.

The festival is celebrated across the country in homes, temples and streets with lot of excitement. Processions are held with colour, music, dance and celebrations while the idol of God is bid adieu and taken for immersion in water.

Disintegrated parts of the idol float back to the shore questioning you about the respect and dignity paid to the God. Not only the remains create abundant filth at the water bodies, the sight makes one brood over about the devotion towards the Lord. Once a mark of reverence and love, the idols split into unwanted pieces at spots of immersion.

As the festival ends and we take look at different visuals of the damage done by our practices, we wonder, ‘Alas what can I do?’  A study by Maharashtra government titled ‘Post idol immersion impact on water quality to ascertain water pollution potential of idols made up of Plaster of Paris and others’ had some grim points,

1. Idols made out of PoP take very long to disintegrate in water; even after 15 days the idols did not dissolve completely.
2. Quality of water also changed drastically during this period, the conductivity of water, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium content, sulphate, etc was seen to be quite high.
3. The decrease of oxygen in this water bodies also affect the aquatic life present there.

The long standing linkage between faith, evolution and environmental conservation has always been left to the views of the individuals. With different sections having different outlooks and beliefs, it is hard to reach consensual decision that would be accepted and implemented by society.

The CSR Journal brings up some examples how responsible citizens are ensuring faith without hurting dignity and ecology. Devotees kept their devotion intact while bringing home idols that harm none.

Tree Ganesha

1.Tree Ganesha– Dattari Kothur, an artist based in Mumbai created eco-friendly idols which after immersion grow into a plant. The idols were made using red soil, fertiliser and planted seeds. During immersion, water is poured symbolically on the idol. After few days of regular watering the idol dissolves as soil and grows into a plant.

Fish-friendly Ganesha

2. Fish-friendly Ganesha– Ecologist Anand Pendharkar working with Sprouts Environmental Trusts, came up with the idea of fish friendly idols. Using clay and stuffed food such as corn, spinach, vegetable powder and wheat the idol is painted with biodegradable natural colours using turmeric, sandalwood, etc. The idol after immersion dissolves in the water and becomes food for the fishes.

Ganesha made using Cow dung

3. Ganesha made using Cow dung– Uttishtha Bharat and Go-Go organisation, NGOs from Bangalore made idols using cow-dung. The material easily available and across the country is easily decomposable. The idea behind using cow-dung was to contribute towards a greener environment. During immersion the idols being immersed in the lakes will act as manure for the plants.

Sugarcane Ganesha

4. Sugarcane Ganesha– The idol made using sugarcane sticks is worshipped during the festival. After the festival, the sugarcane sticks are distributed among friends and family as Prasad ensuring faith, love and respect to the Lord. 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.

Chocolate Ganesha

5. Chocolate Ganesha– Made using chocolate, the idol is immersed in milk after the festival. The chocolate milkshake is then distributed to poor children as a delicacy.

The idea of celebrating a festival is always welcomed in a good spirit. But for the sake of personal beliefs we should stop abusing the environment around us. Environment is one resource which humans have tremendously exploited.  Eco-friendly idols which can replace the traditional idols can contribute towards a more sustainable celebration.

“I have been doing the clean up drives after Ganesh festival since 10 years. Every year we find idols lying on the beach surrounded by filth. After such prayers and celebrations, it hurts to see Bappa disrespected in such a way,” said Salma Memon, Hon. Director (Education) Indian Development Foundation (IDF).

IDF organised awareness campaign on Independence Day at beaches in Mumbai to use eco-friendly idols. “We conducted street plays to make people aware about what happens to the idols after immersion. We spoke to many people. Some of them fail to understand the facts stating their customs whereas some are very receptive and open to reasonable thoughts,” added Memon.

Nickelodeon and Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA) organised a clean-up drive in Mumbai with 800 school children. The event aimed at sensitising students on responsibilities that go with celebration of any festival. Kids were encouraged to buy clay idols /eco-friendly idols or immerse their POP idols in artificial ponds.

It is time we make sure that God is paid respect not only during the festival but also after it by taking care of God-made environment and his man-made idol.

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Regards,
The CSR Journal Team