BY PRATIMA ACHREKAR| NT NETWORK
Celebrations bring people together, breaking barriers of caste, creed and religion. On these auspicious days, the religious fraternity comes together and celebrate the festival as one big family. As the grand festival of Hindus, Ganesh Chaturthi nears one will see many Hindu families busy gearing up for it.
The celebrations extend beyond families as the festival takes on proportions of a community get together by the holding of the ‘Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav’.
As the season of this festival approaches, shops in the market see an increase in the number of its customers who come to buy various accessories and essential items related to the occasion. The season has already begun with people booking idols. Despite, the ban on the PoP idols by the state government the supply of these non-biodegradable idols continues to flourish. To add to the problem, these idols are painted with chemicals which are toxic. While expressing resentment towards the sale of PoP idols, an eco-friendly customer says, “Worshipping Ganesh idols actually signifies worshipping our Mother Earth and so it is symbolic to use clay or mud to make the idol. After this idol is immersed it gets becomes one with the Earth and causes no harm to the ecology. Therefore, it is vital to worship an idol made up of pure clay instead of any other non-biodegradable product.”
To protect the earth from pollution many are taking the pledge to go green and hence are buying only eco-friendly Ganesh idols. There are thousand of idols worshiped every year and the numbers keep increasing.
Plaster of Paris contains sulphur, gypsum, phosphorus, magnesium and the chemical paints used over it contain mercury, cadmium, lead, etc. When idols of Plaster of Paris are immersed these chemicals are released into the water causing harm to aquatic life.
A source from the Goa Handicrafts, Rural and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Ltd (GHRSSISC) says, “In Goa no makes PoP idols, in fact, these idols are mostly imported from nearby states.”
GHRSSISC, to discourage the sale of PoP and increase the production of locally made clay idols, has implemented a scheme that provides huge subsidies to local idol makers. The scheme is intended to motivate idol makers so as to encourage this traditional art form. Many local artisans earn their livelihood through this art form, which has been passed on from one generation to the other.
As per this scheme, idols made of clay will get a subsidy of up to Rs 100 per idol provided the size of the idol has a minimum height of one foot.
As per the scheme, artisans have to submit an undertaking that the idols have been made by them and not imported from outside the state. This will be the third year since the scheme has been implemented.
However, there is a bit of a problem faced in installing huge Ganesh idols made of clay for Sarvajanik Ganeshotsavs. The president the Panaji Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mr Suraj Naik opined, “The PoP idols do not dissolve in water and so clay idols are used. But huge idols made of mud tend to crack as they remain in moist conditions for the entire eleven days.”
“According to me, the big idols do not develop cracks provided the idols are kept for drying prior to the start of the festivity,” counters Mr Gurudas Gaonkar from GHRSSIDC.
He further suggested a few ways in which the Ganesh festivities could go on with no disturbance to the natural environment. He suggests, “Dustbins should be made available at immersion sites since it has come to our notice that after immersion many devotees litter the water bodies with polythene bags full of garlands. Throwing plastic bags in the water bodies is harmful.”
So, go green and celebrate an eco-Ganesh Chaturthi this year. Enjoy in such a way that your actions do not harm any person or nature.
