Taking eco-friendly ganpati to new level: Pune duo carves idol of alum

Concerned about environment, many people have been doing their bit for its conservation. As the trend of eco-friendly ganpati is catching up in various cities, few years ago, Pune-based friends Ramesh Kher and Vivek Kamble came up with an idea to sculpt an idol out of alum.

Alum is majorly used for the purification of water. According to the duo, their aim is to help with the water pollution during immersions. Vivek Kamble, Pune-based sculptor who carves alum to transform it into an idol, said, "It is a brainchild of my friend. As a trail, he asked for my help in carving a few idols. As alum easily dissolves in water, this initiative will reduce the pollution level."

Devotees need to place an order seven months in advance to get an alum ganpati idol. Speaking about the size and weight of the idol, Kamble, said, "The size of the idol depends upon the size of the alum stone. Maximum size is of 10 inches. While, the weight will be approximately 1 to 1.5 kg depending upon the carving done on the alum. Food colour is used for decoration and beautification of idols. Since alum does not come in a particular design, it is one of the uniqueness of alum idols."

Kamble takes about eight days to carve a single idol. Talking about difficulties, Kamble said, "Alum has different layers, so if I carve one wrong step and since I am the only one sculpting the idols, I have to start all over again with on another alum."