Go green for Ganesha

Ganesh Chaturthi or the celebration of the birth of Lord Ganesha is fervently celebrated in the city The tenday celebration has often been accused of polluting the rivers But hearteningly there has been greater awareness about the harmful effects of such celebrations and a host of ecofriendly options are now available It includes ecofriendly decorations as well as biodegradable Ganpati idolsThere has also been observed a trend of Ganpati idols being immersed in artificial ponds instead of rivers which would otherwise spoil the ecological balance of the water bodiesu00a0 Many households have also started making their own decorations using items like wheatgrass rice banana leaves or fibreu00a0Some prefer to send out einvites for Ganpati Puja held at their homes or mandals With an online RSVP one can invite guests through the site with relevant details mentioned online Several of the pandals use energy efficient appliances as well and arrange for fuelefficient shuttles on the premises For the decorations several mandals have opted for organic or locally grown seasonal flowers The flowers used traditionally for the festival are often doused with pesticides and shipped from across the world Potted plants are also an option which can double up as gifts to the guests especially for celebrations held at homeu00a0Many people also decorate the venue with bamboo and ecofriendly candles Bamboo is a sustainable material and considered lucky as well People are opting for local flowers for decorating the pandalu00a0 The store eCoexist sells Ganesh idols which are ecofriendly and safe for the environment The idols are made from natural clay from Konkan and then brought to Pune They make ecofriendly kumkum titles paper napkins and natural colours for rangoli or processions They also make cloth bags that can be used to carry things around Says Manisha Gutman of eCoexist Group ldquoAs the awareness about the harmful impact of Plaster of Paris PoP and chemical paints on natural water bodies grows eCoexist has created a supply network for ecofriendly idols made of natural clay and papier mache This year the idol makers are turning back to their traditional ways of sculpting in clay and using turmeric multani mitti and geru to paint idols The demand for such idols has grown considerably and many stores have come together to promote the switch to natural materialsrdquo Several shops now offer ecofriendly options She adds that they have been receiving requests from sculptors to help them market their clay sculptures ldquoWe have 20 ecofriendly designs this year that are coming from Maharashtra and Karnatakardquo she elaboratesu00a0One of their sculptors includes Omkar Salunke a 14 yearold boy who has produced 74 idols this year which eCoexist will help him sell ldquoWe set up a scholarship for Omkarrsquos education and connected him with Bollywood art director Sukant Panigrahy who will mentor himrdquo adds Gutmanu00a0 Each of their idols will carry a small bundle of seeds of indigenous trees as prasad Devotees can plant the seed as part of their worship rituals Similarly the store Nilaya Bandhej will be selling ecofriendly Ganpati idols made up of multani mitti haldi geroo and sindoor The Bombay Store is offering ecofriendly idols made of haldi kumkum and saru mitti Besides they stock terracotta bowls and terracotta ganpati idols as well Earthen decorations Shop For A Cause is offering garlands and torans made from natural fibre beads cloth and satin which are all recyclable Some mandals have chosen to decorate the stage with vintage antique decorations which they hire or rent They have an added appeal as they are affordable and reusable Some mandals also choose to give away the ecofriendly products to a charitable organisation hospital or NGO It helps them save money and avoid wastage At eCoexist Plot 59 near Sai Ganesh Apartment Sanjay Park old Airport Road Shop For A Cause D402 Sky Lounge Kalyani Nagar Hypercity Pune Kumar Spacific Shankarshet Road Nilaya Bandhej Jayanti Apartments Senapati Bapat Road The Bombay Store MG Road Call 25660790 26131891u00a0