Mumbai’s green idols shine bright

Five years ago, 16-year-old Derek Jadhav encouraged his friends of Bal Gopal Mitra Mandal in Vile Parle to go green.

An expert origami artist, Jadhav had made a half-foot paper model of the idol seated on an eagle and proposed an eco-friendly installation at the mandal. A few days later, he lost his life in a train accident.

“We decided to realise his dream by installing eco-friendly idol at the mandal every year. His origami model, an inspiration for us, finds a distinct place at the mandal,” said Vijay Kumar, Jadhav’s friend.

This year, the mandal’s 14-feet idol made with 10,000 pieces of tissue paper stands as a testimony to the green pledge.
It took more than eight months to create idol.

“Only the idol is immersed into the sea. The lord’s seat made of cardboard is dismantled. The idol will only take 10 minutes to dissolve in water. Jadhav would have been overwhelmed to witness eco-friendly celebrations if he were alive today,” said Vijay.

Not very far in another western suburb, residents of seven housing societies –  Astha, Tiwari Bhuvan, Dayal Smruti, Chandni, Shrinath Darshan, Shrinath Krupa and Sai Safalya in Kandivli — have come together to celebrate a green Ganpati festival this year. The 12-ft idol that adorns the Sai Seva Ganesh Mandal at Subhash Galli in Kandivli (West) is made of dry leaves and cloth.

The mandal spent only a few thousand rupees and it took about a month to make the idol. “The idol’s  skeleton was built using an iron wire mesh. Pieces of cloth are stuck to make a solid frame. After the basic structure was ready, we wondered about the best possible material to cover the idol to make it look attractive,” said Mahendra Pote, member of Sai Seva Ganesh Mandal in Kandivli.

Dry leaf cups, commonly known as ‘dunas’, which are used to serve prasadam in temples were used as it is light and easily disposable.