Eco-Friendly Ganesh Chaturthi Festival
- Aug 23, 2017
- 3 min read
Paalvi Foundation, Nashik urges every citizen to be responsible for our surroundings, environment and nature . This care towards nature can be shown by adopting eco friendly lifestyle right from celebrating various festivals, utilizing our resources optimally to nurturing this earth for our future generations.
Let's start with eco friendly celebrations of coming Ganesh Festival. It can be done in three steps ..
First .. Installing Ganapati idols made up of eco friendly materials . Second.. Eco friendly decorations comprising natural materials avoiding plastic and thermocol . Third .. Eco friendly immersion of idols .
In the first step -
Install wooden , metal , stone or silver idol ..use Betel Nut (Supari) for pooja as a symbol of Ganapati..
In our culture betel nut is always considered auspicious and used in Pooja . You can prepare idol from any natural or recyclable materials like flour , haldi , cotton , coconut, grains , pulses etc . Immersion of this idol can be done at home in a bucket .
Or if not possible then u can make or buy small idol of Shadu maati (natural clay) .
But shadu maati is also procured from fertile river plain areas and extracting it disturbs the ecology of that area . Preferably this shadu maati should be reused year after year and idols should be kept of smaller sizes to save the resources ..
The last preference should be POP idols . If you buy POP idols immersion can be done at home using Ammonium Bi Carbonate powder .This method is devised by National Chemical Laboratory, Pune after a long research.
In the second step -
Decorations can be done by using natural materials like leave , flowers , cloth , paper using creative ideas .
In the third step -
For eco friendly immersion, do symbolic immersion at home using betel nut or idols made of natural materials can be immersed in a bucket of water and then put to plants .
For Shadu mati idol also do Visarjan at home in a bucket of water as it dissolves completely and very fast . Then this water can be put to plants .
For POP idols also Visarjan can be done at home with Ammonium Bi Carbonate powder which is made available by NMC and procedure is given below.
Below are the steps you need to follow for immersion of POP Idol:
Step1: Take a bucket or tub in which idol can be immersed completely. In it add quantity of water such that idol is immersed completely and add powder equal to weight of idol in this bucket or tub.
Step2: Stir this mixture with a long wooden stick. You may observe some bubbles and pungent smell.
Step3: Remove nirmalys, Decorations, Jewelry etc from the idol and immerse it into the mixture.
Step4: For few hours idol will float but slowly it will sink into the water.
Step5: Keep the bucket or tub covered with a lid also keep stirring this every 3 to 4 hours with stick.
Step6: Within 6 to 7 days the idol will dissolve completely forming two layers in the mixture.
Step7: Upper layer in the liquid ammonium sulphate which is a good fertilizer and can be given to plants.
Bottom layer of sludge can be mixed with the garden soil. It is harmless.
Precautions you need to take:
1. Keep the ammonium bicarbonate powder away from children. 2. Do not bring it in contact with your eyes. 3. This powder should not be consumed. 4. If powder comes in contact with hands, wash hands immediately.
This will make a perfect eco-friendly Ganesha which will keep your city clean and green and your surroundings too.
Ganesha is always considered as Lord of arts , science, wisdom and new beginnings. Let's worship him using these qualities creatively and begin a new movement together for preserving our earth.
Lets care and save water for our future generation and save rivers from being polluted !!!
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