Lord Ganesha is formless and thus an eco-friendly being, yet we humans worship the Lord in the form of idols that are decidedly not eco-friendly as they are made from plaster-of-Paris. These Ganapati idols are harmful because they incorporate chemicals and these chemicals are released into the seas in which the idols are immersed. The water thus gets polluted and is extremely harmful to marine life, more so because plaster-of-Paris does not dissolve in the water right away and could take months to do so. Equally worse, the paints used by idol-makers to add colour to the idols are harmful as they are oil-based and contain harmful elements like lead, mercury, etc. Similarly, the decorations of beads and artificial gemstones, the artificial garlands and gleaming head crowns are immersed in large plastic bags along with the Ganapati idol – the plastic bags and decorations do not dissolve at all for years and years. Some people install their Ganapati idols in makars made of thermocol, which are immersed too with the idol – as dangerous as the idol itself.
The solution is to bring home eco-friendly Ganapati idols which are made from clay. Such Ganesh idols are made entirely from natural clay and the colour yellow which is used is made from natural turmeric powder. The skin-colour tones are applied with multani mithi and darker shades of brown are given with natural geroo (the same material used to make Diwali diyas).
You can also bring home paper-mache Ganapati idols or idols made from brass. You need not fully immerse the brass idol in the sea, but just hold it under water for some time and take it back home.
As for the decorations, you can make them from paper and natural flowers. Instead of immersing the flowers in the sea, bury them in your garden or in the building compound.
Check with the local Municipal Corporation where provisions are made for immersion of Ganapati idols in artificial ponds in your city. Instead of immersing the idols in the sea, immerse them in these ponds.
You can immerse clay idols at home itself, in a bucket of water. Be even more environment-friendly by not throwing away that water down the drain! Instead, you can use it to water the plants in your home or building or even the trees at the roadside.
Buy Eco-friendly Ganapati Idols like the one shown in the picture above by clicking here:-
Where to Buy Eco-friendly Ganpati Idols India USA
List of vendors in Mumbai, Thane & Navi Mumbai selling eco-friendly Ganesha idols
The solution is to bring home eco-friendly Ganapati idols which are made from clay. Such Ganesh idols are made entirely from natural clay and the colour yellow which is used is made from natural turmeric powder. The skin-colour tones are applied with multani mithi and darker shades of brown are given with natural geroo (the same material used to make Diwali diyas).
You can also bring home paper-mache Ganapati idols or idols made from brass. You need not fully immerse the brass idol in the sea, but just hold it under water for some time and take it back home.
As for the decorations, you can make them from paper and natural flowers. Instead of immersing the flowers in the sea, bury them in your garden or in the building compound.
Check with the local Municipal Corporation where provisions are made for immersion of Ganapati idols in artificial ponds in your city. Instead of immersing the idols in the sea, immerse them in these ponds.
You can immerse clay idols at home itself, in a bucket of water. Be even more environment-friendly by not throwing away that water down the drain! Instead, you can use it to water the plants in your home or building or even the trees at the roadside.
Where to Buy Eco-friendly Ganpati Idols India USA
List of vendors in Mumbai, Thane & Navi Mumbai selling eco-friendly Ganesha idols
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