Ganesha in eco-friendly avatar this year

Every year, if you drive by on Venkatanarayana Road during Vinayaka Chathurthi, you’ll pass a huge statue of Ganesha resting by the side of the road. Hordes of devotees visit these beautiful idols every day, not only for prayer but to admire their beauty. For the past 25 years, the idols have been made from completely organic materials such as vegetables, pineapples and bananas, dry fruits and even 200 kg worth peanut candy (chikki)! 

Ask the committee behind this and they say, ‘We believe even marine life is as important as human beings so we don’t want to pollute the waters and kill them with Plaster of Paris idols and chemical dyes. Instead, we immerse these statues made from edibles that the fish and other animals can eat.’ This ideology of sustainability, environmental conservation and civic responsibility can be seen resonating among more number of Chennaiites, who this year too, have taken a resolution to celebrate Vinayaka Chathurthi in an eco-friendly manner.

On September 7 a workshop on how to make idols of the elephant god from natural mud is being conducted. Says ceramic artist and potter S Thiyagarajan, who’s overseeing the session, “I will be teaching people how to make idols with clay. Inside it, we’ll be placing seeds of native Indian trees like tamarind, so they can plant the idol after the festival in their backyard or in a pot.”

Similarly, Pinwheel Design Studio based in Alwarpet, are tying up with a Montessori school, to conduct an organic Ganesha-making workshop on September 9. “Though we’re an architecture firm, we’re launching an initiative called Patang, where we want to bring art to kids and adults alike. The upcoming workshop is the first event through this initiative, through which we aim to develop a community and create awareness about sustainability and eco-friendly products,” says the design studio’s founder Parinitha Vishweshwar. Participants will be taught to make intricate Ganesha idols from scratch, without the help of moulds, using clay and grains for decoration.

An entrepreneur based near Coimbatore, K Pramodhini, says she’s never felt the need to buy a Pullaiyar idol because, “There are so many materials available in nature from which you can make a biodegradable idol! God never asked us to destroy anything in His name, so we just make small Ganeshas from things like rice, cow dung, roots of plants, coconut shells, turmeric paste, etc. It’s up to a person’s creativity — I don’t think the shape matters as much as the belief of the festival does,” she says. 

A 33-year-old clay Ganesha is a family heirloom, which she displays even to date during the festival. She explains, “It’s made of clay but covered in chemical paint so we didn’t want to immerse it; instead, we just put it back in a box until next year and immerse the smaller, eco-friendly one.”

This Ganesh Chaturti, make your own Ganesha and ensure he stays with you forever in the eco-friendliest way possible. At this hour-long workshop, build your own seed Ganesha with hands-on help.

Contact: 044 48540085

Avail a combo of a bio-degradable Ganesha idol, Bermuda Grass (arugampul) and a decorative umbrella for Rs. 200. The idol will contain seeds and vermicompost, which can bloom into a plant upon immersion in a pot on your backyard. 

Contact: 94446 20289

Claytime Art Studios presents a workshop where families can learn to make an artistic Ganesha using moulds and fine terracotta clay. 

Contact: 93848 26050