The Creator, Stepping and Showing the Way
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message on Independence Day, to discourage the use of single-use plastics across the country, likely to kick off on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, Mumbaikars have already adapted the change with the onset of Ganesh festival bringing in the transformative change. Secondly, Ganesh Chaturthi is the festival of love and devotion; let us love our environment as we love our Gods and hence it is the responsibility of each one of us to celebrate festivals keeping environmental degradation in mind. When we pray to Gods and showcase our love for them, why can’t we take that love beyond idols and start loving nature, the environment created by them. It’s time to save the environment and prevent its abuse. This is visible largely in a city with more and more Ganesh pandals using sustainable material be it idol or decorations. Idols are now made of naturally occurring materials like Clay, shadu, alum, tree, sprouts, paper, cardboard etc, since these idols dissolve completely in water. One such initiative is taken by the residents of Omkar 1973 Worli as Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated based on eco-friendly theme to promote sustainability. The installation of the centre idol here is made up of cardboard with a height of 5 feet. The other idols of eco-friendly materials are shadu, alum, sprouts, tree Ganesha, corn flakes & supari. Each of these materials have their own significance towards eco-friendly environment, such as Ganesha made of Cornflakes and Supari when immersed will act as a food for marine life; Ganesha made of Shadu mud, which mixes with water and does not form into sediments helps to keep the water levels low; Alum has properties to purify water and this Ganesha idol when immersed in water, purifies it, the moorti symbolizes purification of water in the universe; moorti made of sprouts will also act as a food for marine animals causing zero pollution when immersed; Tree Ganesha, made of seeds of seaweeds, when immersed the seeds will germinate into plants, thus augmenting the marine ecosystem. Also, BMC has over the years been encouraging and awarding pandals having adopted themes which are completely eco-friendly with zero use of plastic, no toxic and other hazardous products affecting the environment. In tune with protecting our environment and save our oceans more and more societies in Mumbai are celebrating the festival using eco-friendly and sustainable material for the Ganesha.
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