Prominent abstract artist and philanthropist Krupa Shah has time and again made an impact on everyone with her artwork and social initiatives. This Ganesh Chaturthi, the Mumbai-based artist has come up with an eco-friendly Ganesh idol made up of red soil, alum, organic colors, and homemade fish food.
Every year, more than 2 lakh Ganesh idols are immersed in Mumbai alone. Since most of these idols are made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) and painted with heavy pigments, the paints containing heavy metals seep into the lakebed, thereby harming the aquatic life.
To prevent this, Krupa created a Ganpati idol that does not disturb the aquatic ecosystem or pollutes the seawater. Installed in her residence in the cultural hub of the city, South Mumbai, this Ganesh idol, when immersed after a day and a half of celebration, will provide nourishment to aquatic life.
Taking a step forward to contribute to the environment and help the poor children of the city, Shah has urged her visitors and fellow devotees to offer stationery items to Lord Ganesha as an alternative to sweets, cash, or coconuts. Post the celebration of the festival, the stationery will be distributed amongst underprivileged children.
When asked what inspired her to come up with this unique eco-friendly Ganpati, she says, “ We have been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi since a couple of years. But this time, my daughters and I wanted to do something different that would not just satisfy us but prove helpful to the environment as well. Talking about our idol, on the day of immersion, the mud will melt inside the water, alum will dissolve and purify the muddy water, and the fish food will be consumed by fishes, without causing any damage due to the decorations.”
Besides this initiative, Shah has also been conducting workshops to teach school and college students the art of making Ganpati idols out of eco-friendly materials. Her aim is to diminish the harmful effects of Plaster of Paris (PoP) and toxic paints made with chemicals that create the largest amount of water pollution. She signs off by saying, “A small change or contribution can make a big difference.”
How are you celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi differently this year? Let me know in the comments below.
