The dna Eco Ganesha campaign kicked off with full festive fervour on Monday at Viviana Mall in Thane. A 3.5ft clay idol of the elephant god has been placed at the mall for seven days.
Taking these celebrations a step further, the mall has invited its patrons to share pictures of their Ganesh decorations. The three best entries will win exciting prizes. The Viviana team will also visit the winners’ homes and add to the celebrations and festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi.
“The initiative has received good response from patrons. Popular television star Deepika Singh also visited on Monday,” said Hardik Gala, supervisor of the Eco Ganesha initiative at Viviana.
The aim of the Eco Ganesha initiative is to spread the message of celebrating Ganeshotsav in an environmentally friendly manner. This year’s theme, ‘Panch Dhaatu’, refers to the five elements of nature — sky (akash), earth (bhoomi), water (jal), air (vayu) and fire (agni) would take devotees closer to Mother Nature.
The dna Eco Ganesha idol at Center One mall in Navi Mumbai too is made wholly of clay. While it may not have the high sheen or the bright texture that idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) have, it does not have an adverse impact on the environment when immersed.
Artist Chandan Diwakar Panchal worked on the idol with help from his father. Visitors appreciated the effort to create awareness about using eco-friendly idols for celebration during Ganeshotsav.
“It is unfortunate that most people equate grandness with the idol’s height. So, one will only find huge and tall idols made of PoP as clay idols can’t be very tall. I think such initiatives are necessary to create awareness,” said Vashi resident Shanta Sawant.
A New Panvel resident said, “Clay is a product of nature and is a better alternative. The dna Eco Ganesha initiative is a much needed one in order to revolutionise the way we celebrate Ganeshotsav.”
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