This Ganesh Chaturthi, give back to nature with eco-friendly idols from these online platforms

Indians are big on festivals: the cheer, colour, sweets, gaiety, and merriment. But at a time when climate change and consequent problems have led to rising concerns about the environment, there is a need to switch to eco-friendly celebrations.

Could there be a better time to make this change than Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival that celebrates the arrival of Ganapati to earth from Kailash Parvat? The festival begins with the installation of Ganesh idols in homes or at public pandals and ends on the tenth day when the idol is immersed in a nearby body of water.

Lakes, rivers, and seas are a sight the day after visarjan, with numerous floating statues – most commonly made of Plaster of Paris, thermacol, and other non-biodegradable materials. As many as 150,000 statues are immersed in Mumbai alone.

People are becoming more conscious with every passing year and opting for idols made of biodegradable materials. Innovation has come to the fore, with organisations and startups encouraging smaller, safer, and eco-friendly celebrations this year.

Here are some ecommerce platforms and organisations that are selling unique eco-friendly idols, or helping you to make your own!

Tree Ganesha

 Keen to promote a green world, Tree Ganesha was launched in 2015 to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi without harming the environment. Founder Dattadri Kothur believes that celebrations should be embraced by giving back to the environment and exhorts people to “bring home an eco-friendly murti that turns into a tree after the visarjan”.

Tree Ganesha makes eco-friendly idols from natural red soil. The idols do not have any chemicals, colour coatings, or fancy stones. Each kit contains an idol, a pot, some fertiliser, and seeds. The idols are “durable yet 100 percent dissolvable”. Post-visarjan, the soil can be used to plant a tree.

 Plant-a-Ganesha by My Pooja Box

Plant-a-Ganesha is an eco-friendly initiative by Delhi-based My Pooja Box to make the environment cleaner and greener. The idols are handcrafted by skilful artisans and are made of 100 percent soil that dissolves in water without releasing any harmful toxins. Apart from the idol, the package also contains a small bag of plant seeds.

On the day of Anant Chaturdashi, users can place the idol in a bucket and water it. The seeds can be planted and watered with the water from the visarjan. In a few weeks, a plant will bloom and “spread the auspicious energy of the festival”.

 Sasya Ganapati

Bengaluru-based Sasya Ganapati aims to give back to nature while celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. The organisation wants to do away with the many Plaster of Paris statues that add to the pollution in the oceans, and increase the earth’s green cover.

The idols are made of natural clay, potting mix, and fertiliser. The kit also contains a pot, a nutrient block for plant growth, seeds, potting mix to enrich the soil, and an instruction manual for an eco-friendly visarjan. The kits can be home delivered in Bengaluru.

Sprouts Environment Trust

For five years now, Mumbai-based Sprouts Environment Trust has used corn and vegetable powder, and other substances that decompose easily and serve as fish food to make Ganapati idols. Organic substances such as turmeric, sandalwood, and coloured soil are used to add colour and protect aquatic life as part of their ‘God Save the Ocean’ campaign.

 This year, the trust is adding seed balls to the idols. These can later be immersed in small pots, which will allow the seeds to sprout. Buyers can choose between the fish food variety or the seed variety.

ALSO READ

From seed to brew: How a coffee project in Andhra Pradesh’s Araku changed the lives of adivasi farmers

Clay Station

Devotees can make their own eco-friendly Ganesha, thanks to Clay Station’s ‘Make Your Own Ganesha Mould Kit’. The mould is biodegradable and can be used to make at least 10 idols, about 12 inches in height.

The kit contains 2.5 kg of natural terracotta clay, which is non-toxic and locally sourced, along with simple tools to fashion and decorate the idol. It also provides access to a detailed online instructional video. The kit is currently available only in Bengaluru, and is available via store pickup or Dunzo.

(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)