No child’s play, Lord is in the making

The Narkes’ home at Mahim comes alive with cackles. Inside, children aged six to eight from three families are having a whale of a time getting their hands dirty while making Ganpati idols.
Driven by their concern for the environment, the Narke, Gadiyar and Savla families have decided to make their own Ganpati idols. An added incentive was the opportunity to let the kids’ creativity flow freely.
“We are not expecting to come up with idols which look like commercial ones. We are fine with even crude replicas,” says Malavika Gadiyar, parent of six-year-old Manomay.
Upset with the adulteration she saw in the Ganpati idol she purchased from a shop last year, Gadiyar decided to make her own idol when her friend, Monisha Narke, whose daughter wanted a miniature replica that she could herself carry around, suggested the idea.
“Since I had done a class [on clay modelling] last year, I readily agreed,” says Gadiyar.
Narke wanted to involve children in the idol-making process as she wanted to nurture their talents. “This sort of work helps in nurturing children’s artistic talents,” she says.
At Narke’s home, Gadiyar first taught the kids how to knead the mix of shadu mati, potter’s clay and water into dough that is soft enough to be moulded. The children are then asked to come up with their their own designs and shapes.
Eight-year-old Ananya Narke says she likes to make the ears of Ganpati idols. “They are easy to make,” she adds candidly. She also likes to smoothen the body surface.
Diva Savla, 6, has taken a fondness to noses. Sakhsi Narke, also 6, indulges in decorations and spends most of her time making circular and elongated ornaments to deck the Ganpati’s crown.
While children at Narke’s home rely on Gadiyar for instruction, Girish Tahiliani’s family at Khar look to the Internet for lessons.
“We learnt through trial and error. Last year, our Ganpati idol had cracks. We tried to fill them up. This year, we have taken more care. The children enjoy [the process of idol-making] as they get to learn something and parents love spending time with kids,” says Tahiliani.

Shruti Hassan going green!


Shruti Hassan

For actor Shruti Haasan who has recently made Mumbai her home, the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi always brings back happy memories of indulging in good food and spending some quality time with her family.
While she has pretty much lived her life in Chennai and Hyderabad, the actor insists that the festival has always held special importance in her life.
“At home, we’ve always celebrated all festivals since I was a kid. I still do go to the temple, and pray and attend an important pooja. And at the end of the day, I think it’s about bringing your close ones together. So Ganesh Chaturthi is definitely a day I get to meet all the people that matter to me,” the pretty girl reveals.While she completely soaks in the spirit of the festival, she also insists how important it is to be environmentally responsible. “I am an environmentally conscious person and I think everyone needs to be aware. The DNA eco-friendly Ganesha is a great way to get the general public aware and help them make better decisions that will benefit everyone. It’s high time everyone did their bit, and I’m really glad DNA is also involved in this. I think this trend of clay idols is slowly catching up. And in a few years, I hope there are only clay idols in the market. It’s a great idea. It’s such a sad sight to look at our shores the day after immersion. People should just take that little effort, and we will make a difference”, says Shruti.
And that’s not all, the young actor is also going to try her bit to contribute to spreading awareness about bringing home eco-friendly idols. Though she doesn’t get the idol home, she is going to make sure she reaches out to as many people to go green. “Whoever I know is planning to bring the idol of Lord Ganesha home and I will definitely make it a point to suggest buying a clay idol instead,” she says.

Traditional tunes to usher in the Lord

DJs are passé. The craze this Ganesha festival is to bring back a traditional look and feel. And to do just that, a few Ganpati mandals in Girgaum have, for the first time, brought in dhwaj pathaks to perform while welcoming and immersing Lord Ganesha idols.
Dhwaj pathaks, a common sight on Gudi Padwa — an important festival for Maharashtrians — consists of people marching in rhythm, holding flags. The performers march in tune to the beats of traditional instruments. It is coupled with lejhim, a form of dance where the performers have to dance to the tune of cymbals tied to a wooden stick.
The performers, both men and women,wear traditional outfits, completing the look with fetas, traditional headgear.
This year, a sarvajanik Ganesh mandal has invited dhwaj pathaks to perform during the festival.
“Every year during the Ganesha festival, we used to opt for DJ music. This year, we thought of making things special, as it is the 50th year of our celebration. Also, this kind of performance makes the festival more popular in the area,” said Jayesh Gohil, vice-president of the New Charni Road Sarvajanik Ganeshutsav Mandal.
A year ago, Gohil had watched dhwaj pathaks performing in Pune, and that was when the idea to have them perform for Ganesha struck him. The decision was a good one as people turned to watch his Ganesha idol instead of the Satvi Galli Ganpati, that makes head turn with its imposing height of 25 feet.
“The Satvi Galli Ganpati was also going along when we were taking our Ganpati to the mandal on September 9. Our dance made sure that people turned their heads towards our Ganpati and stayed glued to our procession,” he added.
Other reason organisers prefer performances like these is because they give people a typically Maharashtrian feel.
“I liked the idea of boys and girls dancing in traditional clothes. Like in Pune, only traditional instruments are played,” informed Pradeep Maduskar, a resident of Jaobawadi, Girgaum.
Maduskar is planning to have a four-hour long procession while taking the Ganesha idol for immersion.
“This form of dance also gives a certain discipline to the festival. Unlike the regular ones where people tend to drink in celebration, this one sticks to the strict traditional ways,” said Nikhil Kalawint, the leader of the Girgaum Dhwaj Pathak which performs during Gudi Padwa, and will be performing for the two mandals too.

Get ready for a green festivity

A look at Santa Cruz resident, Yogesh Vaidya’s installations to house Lord Ganesh, popularly termed as makhars in the local lingo, hints at an ornate yet an eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi.
“I have switched to makhars made of recycled paper for the past five years as thermocol is non-biodegradable,” said the ex-merchant navy officer Yogesh Vaidya.
Vaidya travelled all the way upto Virar to pickhis makhar from Vilas Murudkar, an art teacher who specialises in making antiquated eco-friendly makhars.
“There are very few artists in the city who make eco-friendly makhars. A few work out of workshops in Lalbaug, however Murudkar’s work is one of it’s kind,” said Vaidya.
Murudkar’s creations are made of newspapers and rice husk fibres. “Newspaper is torn into tiny pieces and soaked overnight. It is later rolled into a dough with mixing agents, set into earthen moulds and left to dry in sun. The makhars are finished by hand painting them,” explains Murudkar.
A graduate of JJ School of Art, Murudkar began making eco-friendly makhars, a year back after ex- mayor Shubha Raul refused to inaugurate his exhibition of thermocol installations. Priced at Rs2,500, these makhars can house two-feet idols. He has made lesser pieces this year as he rues that the public response to eco-friendly makhars is poor, last year he sold only 30 of 70 makhars he made. Murudkar however feels that with rising levels of air and soil pollution in Mumbai, the civic body needs to ban thermocol and plastic decorations in the market.
Environmental experts say that Styrofoam component in thermocol causes disposal problems and advises the masses to switch to eco-friendly decorations. Thermocol lingers in the ecosystem for more than 200 years, spreading toxins in the soil and render it infertile. Thermocol installations easily catch fire, which releases carcinogenic dioxins, that cause hormonal imbalances in people,” said environmentalist Rishi Aggarwal.

It’s public, no grounds for new mandals

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided not to allot grounds meant for public use for celebrating festivals this year, including Ganeshotsav, Durga Puja and Navratri.
Following an order by additional municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta, civic officials have turned down various mandals enquiring about the availability of grounds, after the uproar that was caused by city activists fighting for the misuse of open spaces.
“Several mandals and organisations have been queuing up at BMC offices to apply for a ground but we will not entertain any application, because though the applicants are NGOs most are backed by heavyweight politicians who fund such programmes to appease their vote bank,” said a senior civic official. However, officials said they will consider applications of those mandals who have been operational for years.
Last year, when grounds were allotted to private NGOs for celebrating festivals, civic officials had assured activists that it would be the last time the BMC would give grounds for such purposes. Sanjay Nirupam had supported an NGO last year to organise Navratri in Borivli (West).
However, those mandals and organisations who have been celebrating certain festivals for years may be given grounds.
“There are quite a few mandals which have been celebrating Ganeshotsav or Navratri for years. Applications of such organisations will be decided after giving them a hearing. But we will not consider those mandals, NGOs and organisations that are just three to four years old,” said a civic official.
“This is a welcome move. Why should public grounds be subjected to exploitation for the interest of a few? But the BMC should stick to this policy and make it a rule with no exceptions,” said Nayana Kathpalia, co-convenor, CitiSpace, an NGO which fights for open spaces in the city.
Celebrating festivals on recreational grounds or playgrounds is not done, even if its a tradition, she said. “If they want to celebrate, they can opt for private grounds and clubs. Open spaces are earmarked plots, such as MMRDA grounds or Goregaon exhibition centre grounds, for mass-scale functions. They can’t ruin these during their celebrations and then leave it to the BMC to restore them.”

Kareena Kapoor supports DNA’s eco-friendly Ganesha initiative


Kareena Kapoor

Actress Kareena Kapoor, who is known to be rather eco-friendly, reveals that she firmly believes in taking little steps now that will go a long way in ensuring a better environment for future generations.
“I don’t think one really needs to be in politics to do one’s bit for society. Taking care of simple things in day-to-day life, like saving electricity or water, can bring about a whole lot of difference too. Each individual has the power to make a difference. As an actor, I am more than happy to lend support to a noble cause, especially if it is related to the environment, as it’s something I really feel for,” shares the actor. And as the city gears up to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, Kareena urges everyone to try and make the festival as eco-friendly as possible. “I love the way the city wears a completely festive look during the time. There are lights everywhere and so many happy faces all round. So, it becomes all the more important that we make a festival this huge, as eco-friendly as possible. I think that DNA’s eco-friendly Ganesha initiative is a great way to bring about awareness and also encourage more and more people to opt for green ways to save and protect the environment. Using environment friendly products are great options and I would definitely recommend it,” adds the actress.
Kareena feels that such causes need all the encouragement they can get and the best way to support the initiative is to actually go green.

The Lord is back in green avatar

For the third year in a row, DNA is back with the god of good beginnings to encourage Mumbaikars to celebrate Ganeshotsav in an eco-friendly way and to use such measures in their daily lives.
The eco-Ganesha campaign, which in the first run took off by providing clay Ganesha idols to residents and by putting up an eco-friendly Ganpati statute at a city mall, is set to get bigger and grander this year.
And to prove that we walk the talk, DNA will have eco-friendly Ganpati idols at eight different malls spread across the city, just like it was done last year.
These eight idols will be replicas of the Ashtavinayakas, which are otherwise scattered across Maharashtra and will help those devotees, who have been forced to take off several days from work in the past to pay a visit to the Ashtavinayakas while spending large sums of money.
DNA will ensure that all idols are no farther than 100km so that a devotee can visit all of them without hassles. We will also put out a bus service for this purpose.
Even in the run-up to the festival, DNA will take up some eco-friendly initiatives, such as seminars and classes to teach people, including schoolchildren, about the method clay idols. We will also launch a huge paper collection drive, which will include paying visits to schools to collect papers in large quantities, to make paper bags, which will serve as an an alternative to plastic bags.
DNA will encourage people to take a pledge to make the environment more secure by conducting signature campaigns.
These campaigns, which will have celebrity endorsements, will be largely held at malls. The eco-Ganesha campaign will then invite entries from those housing societies which have taken the largest eco-friendly measures involving the idols or the decorations around them. DNA will award such societies.

‘Use eco-friendly Ganesha idols’

The authorities of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have asked devotees to use Ganesha idols made of natural clay and painted with natural colours as well as water-soluble and non-toxic dyes to avoid pollution of waters bodies, including lakes and rivers.
KSPCB President AS Sadashivaiah said: “People have to follow the guidelines set by KSPCB to immerse Ganesha idols in water bodies across the state.” He asked devotees to use vegetable-coloured clay idols or those with small paintings.
According to KSPCB officials, water is polluted when idols painted with colours made from harmful chemicals are immersed. “Water pollution cannot be stopped. But we can reduce the level of pollution,” Sadashivaiah said. According to him, it is preferable to immerse small idols in buckets or mobile tanks from where solid waste can be easily collected later.
BBMP commissioner Rajneesh Goel urged the public to us environmental friendly Ganesha idols and to celebrate the festival without polluting water bodies. Goel said as per the Supreme Court’s direction, the public should avoid using plastic banners and bunting. He asked devotees to park vehicles on the roadside and walk upto the lake to immerse idols.
“Idols should be immersed in Ulsoor, Sankey, Yediyur and Saneguruvanahalli lakes. For residents of newly added areas, BBMP has identified 32 lakes. It has also arranged 88 mobile immersion tanks where small idols can be immersed,” he said.
“Those who want to immerse idols at lakes should enter through the main gate and immerse at the place designated by the BBMP.
The public should also dump puja materials like flower, garland and banana stalks in the garbage bin kept at the entrance of the lake. Devotees should stand in queue to avoid stampede and chaos,” Goel said.
The BBMP commissioner requested the public to not to violate the instructions given by BBMP officials and police personnel during immersion. “Bursting of crackers and playing of loud music are prohibited near the lake. Immersion is prohibited after 10.30 pm,” Goel said.
He requested people to support the BBMP for keep the lakes clean . “As Ganesha idols with chemicals are immersed in ponds or lakes there will be foul smell till the silt is cleared. People are requested to cooperate with BBMP officials till lakes are desilted,” he said.
“Though BBMP have deputed trained swimmers at the lakes, devotees should be careful while immersing idols to avoid drowning,” he said.

Tender hands shape eco-friendly Ganesha idols

While the concept of eco-friendly Ganesha idols is gradually catching the fancy of Puneites, the students of New English School Tilak Road have been making nearly 200 such idols every year for the past 15 years. The students also take home these idols for worship during Ganeshotsav.
The school, established by the Deccan Education Society in the pre-Independence era, conducts various environment-related activities throughout the year. The school’s science and math teacher Smita Rabade looks after the eco-club while the idol-making activity is carried out by the students with the cooperation of drawing teachers Suresh Warghantiwar and Hanumant Todkar. Around 150 to 200 students voluntarily participate in the activity.
Rabade said that the students from standard V to X take part in this activity and learn to make Ganesh idols from shadu (soil) which is bio-degradable and easily dissolves in water. She said
that this year, famous sculptor Sadanand More taught the students how to make Ganesh idols. A week-long workshop was held from August 27.
The school, with the help of external judges, decides about the best idols made by students for every standard. Later, the students are awarded with books.

Eco Ganesha gets more followers

Eco-friendly Ganesha is not just a germ of an idea for Thanekars; it is also gaining ground in their households slowly. As a result, the city is witnessing some increase in the demand of eco-Ganesha idols.
Vaishali Raikar, a resident of Naupada, has been bringing Ganpati at her residence for some time now. These days, she says she prefers simple eco-Ganesha idols over the more resplendent plaster of paris (PoP) models.
“These Ganesha idols are environment-friendly and dissolve in water easily. So it does not harm the environment,” says Raikar. This year too, Raikar has booked a small eco -Ganesha idol for her home and is waiting for the festivities to begin on September 19.
The tribe of devotees who want an eco-Ganesha idol is increasing steadily.
“Last year, I sold 250 eco-idols and this year there are 300 orders,” says Vinay Khadulkar, proprietor of Ganesh Kala Niketan.
He gets these idols from Pen and Pune. “Though marginal, the demand for eco-Ganeshas has increased over the years,” he says.
Agrees Bhaskar Telang, proprietor of Ganesh Kala Mandir. “Last year, I sold over 500 idols and this year also I already have a booking for 500 idols and expect to sell 750-1000 idols,” he said.
Though the eco-Ganesha idol is heavy and also needs to be handled with care as it is made of clay, it has still gained preference over the PoP ones. “When we take the idol home, we carry it with lot of care. So there is no damage during transportation,” says Raikar.
No wonder, people from faraway places are also coming to Thane to buy eco-Ganeshas. “I roamed the entire Kalwa but could not find it (eco Ganesha) anywhere. Finally, I found it here,” says Deepali D Desai (50) who stays at Kalwa.

Cut-and-dry cotton Ganesha set to break many records

If things go as planned, Malad-based Shree Ganesh Mitra Mandal will create a world record when its members make an 8.5ft-tall Ganesh idol using cotton this season.
The Guinness world record for the tallest cotton statue currently rests with the Nasik-based artist Anant Khairnar for making a 7.5-ft-tall Mahatma Gandhi statue. It’s no surprise then that the Malad mandal has roped in Khairnar to work on the record plan. In fact, the mandal’s office-bearers have already approached the Guinness World Record’s online office to apply for the record.
Known as the originator of cotton statues, Khairnar’s many patrons include cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar, who last year took a one-and-a-half-feet-tall cotton Ganesha from him to keep in his bungalow.
While explaining the procedure, Khairnar said, “Surgical cotton wool is taken and some chemicals added to it to make a tough and durable base. This is followed by use of some aluminum to impart the desired shape.” Khairnar’s absolutely eco-friendly Ganesha idol, which is expected to be ready by the second week of September, dissolves in water within an hour.
It was four months ago that the Malad-based mandal asked him to make the record-high cotton idol after its members read about him presenting a small cotton Ganesha to former President Pratibha Patil. “We are glad about the possibility of a world record, apart from creating awareness about using eco-friendly methods,” said Vijay Kondalkar, chief functionary of the mandal.
Khairnar has been working on the idol for the last 15 days. “We wll be be using over 50kg cotton,” he said.

Gold Ganesh mandal may host 46,000 pujas

MUMBAI: Famed for hosting a record number of Ganesh pujas in the annual five day festival, the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) Seva Mandal Ganpati at King’s Circle is, this year, aiming to repeat last year’s feat of hosting 46,000 pujas.

The mandal, popularly known as Gold Ganesh, is among the richest in the city and houses the iconic gold Ganesh idol. Over 470 kg of silver ornaments and about 70 kg of gold jewellery adorn the 14.5 ft. idol. Its hands, ears, trunk and feet are made of gold and it has a 33-inch gold crown weighing 22 kg.
While t he governmentapproved valuator has deemed the amount to be more than Rs21.5 crore, the idol has been insured for Rs224 crore as compared to last year’s figure of Rs 221.7 crore. The organizers have consciously stayed away from fanfare and celebrities. “We do not sell our Gods, neither do we chase celebrities to draw in large number of devotees,” said Dr Bhujang Pai, the festival convener. Avinash Patkar from Girgaum has designed the idol out of clay and durva (grass) and has used water-soluble paints. “We wanted to do our bit to save mother earth and decided to go the ecofriendly way,” said Dr Pai adding that the idol will be immersed at Girgaum Chowpatty. This year, mandal organisers will use donation for the education of financially weak students. “Last year, almost Rs35 lakh was given to such students. We provide medical assistance to the deserving. Our GSB volunteers also conduct funerals for those who can’t afford it,” said Dr Pai.