With a clarion call to celebrate Green Vinayakar Chaturthi, a 25 year old City youngster has started to vend Green Ganapathi idols from the humble road side shop to the swanky Brookfield’s mall.
Swarajit Alakanda, of Vadavalli, an electronics engineer by profession struck upon the idea, when he saw garishly painted Plaster of Paris Ganapathi idols with its tapering trunks lining up in front of City shops as Vinayakar Chaturthi is around the corner.
“I ventured out looking out for a Green alternative to the garish idols I saw in the city shops. I was surprised to find out about potters in the city who still do idols out of clay. And, that's when I met a couple of potters in Kanuvai, Vadavalli who were busily making clay Vinayakar idols using age-old wisdom and were keen to make eco-friendly Vinayakar idols in the city. I was relieved and delighted as I was desperately looking out for eco-friendly alternatives".
"My aim is to popularize the Green, clay-made and eco-friendly Ganapathi among city denizens and am glad that my efforts have started bearing fruits almost instantly. I have received single and bulk orders for Clay Ganapathi from all parts of the city. In fact I am running out of supply now“, Swarajit says, when SimpliCity caught up with him.
Swarajit, who also runs “So Aware” a Non Profitable organization, which works on various social and environmental causes says “We have an array of Ganapathi idols from Rs.40 to Rs.1,100 in various sizes and eye catching designs to suit the needs of the devotees. These eco-friendly idols could be sanctified in public places and pujas can be performed".
“The pricing factor is based on 60% production cost, 30% for the seller and 10% goes to logistics and it is strictly not for profit venture as our objective is to create awareness of celebrating eco-friendly festivals without harming the environment”, the young man with a vision says.
“This initiative is to create awareness on an important issue, which is environmental pollution caused by the immersion of Vinayakar idols. Idols made out of polluting materials such as Plaster of Paris which are treated with chemical paints could cause lot of environmental pollution when they get immersed in the water bodies, as festivities comes to end. Using clay idols is not only ancient but also completely biodegradable, and what is more special about the idol is that we have stuffed seeds and fish food inside the idol.
Hence, when immersed in water the hole behind the idol which is stuffed with clay opens up and the fishes in the pond can feed on the food that is made of puffed rice. And, for those who do not immerse the idols we have idols which carry seeds of fruit bearing trees like Papaya and veggies like ladies finger and drumsticks. Hence going forth it is always safe to sanctify Clay Vinayakar idols all over the city”, Swarajit says.
Immersion of the idol is an age-old religious ritual but let us do it in an eco-friendly way and it seems Green Ganapathi is here to stay. Lord Vinayakar, the elephant-headed God, who is also the God of Wisdom would not agree less.
Green Ganapathi, a perfect balance of tradition and ecology can be ordered at mobile no: 9655667775.