MUMBAI, INDIA, September 9, 2008: This year, yet again, though civic officials have not gone out in promoting eco-friendly Ganeshotsav, organizations sculpting eco-friendly Ganesh deities have seen an increase in the demand for eco-friendly murthis. Says Sunil Mantri, CEO, Aniruddha Upasna Trust, “Immersion of deities made of Plaster of Paris gives out harmful chemicals in water. Also, when deities are thrown back on the shores during low tides, broken pieces of deities further pollute the beaches. With papier-mache deities we don’t face these issues, as these take approximately eight hours to dissolve in water. Also, the making cost of these deities is one-third that of plaster of Paris deities, making them cost-effective as well.”
Meanwhile, social enterprise eCoexist is promoting the use of shaadu (natural clay) to create the deities. Says Manisha Gutman, Founder, “Making deities out of shaadu is going back to the roots of the festival without hurting anybody’s religious sentiments. We have consulted Ved Gurus and then started making these deities. Though it weighs a lot, these clay deities are absolutely fragile and need to be handled with utmost care. We get our deities made in Pen District, give the final touches in our head offices based at Pune and Mumbai.” Most importantly, eco-friendly Ganeshotsav as a concept needs to be inculcated within the mindset of children, so that they, as adults, will make it part of their lives. And, this belief is what drives Founder President, Young Environmentalists Program Trust’s Elsie Gabriel. In her recent event on eco-friendly Ganeshas, 600 students participated in the workshop and made deities from clay, paper and vegetable. Says, Elsie, “This initiative is to bring awareness about environmentally-friendly ways to celebrate the festival. Considering that Lord Ganesha would never like his habitat be hampered, it’s time that this widely celebrated festival that encourages solidarity amongst communities, is made environment-friendly.”