Green Ganesha: Make love, not carbon!

                             

One of the biggest Indian festivals “Ganesh Chaturthi” ended a couple of weeks back. Lord Ganesha is welcomed for a few days and then on the last day, immersed in a water body. It’s not treated as just another idol… but as god and the chanting of mantras is believed to bring life in the idol.

There have been times in every single worshiper’s life, when they had silently talked to lord ganesha’s idol and had enjoyed absolute private conversations with him! A lot of people have tears in their eyes seeing him leave… and getting immersed in the lake.

On one hand where this whole process is beautiful, emotional, spiritual and pure, our way of “visarjan” has some serious impact on the nature and environment. Issues such as water pollution, death of flora and fauna and most importantly, the disrespect caused by the sight of broken, limbless and headless idols on the seashore is what bothers me!

Look at the picture below:

All the respect, love and attention given all these days go down the drain when we see Ganesha’s idol lying amongst a heap of rotting flowers, plastic and garbage!

And who is to be blamed???

The BMC? For not having planned proper sewage system? For not planning the immersion pond properly?

Or the cleaning authorities for not having cleared the “mess” before the sun rised??? At least it wouldn’t have pinched the onlookers!!

Is it? If you are one of those who thinks any one of the above 2 are to be blamed, then this post is definitely not meant for you!!! Happily go to sleep!!!

But if there is something that just sank inside you… something that’s pondering in your head… then you are on the right track (hopefully).

No one other than “WE” are responsible for this shame! When we have the option of opting for “eco-friendly” idols, why do we step back? Why are we resistant in taking our best foot forward? So what if the supposedly eco friendly idols are a little expensive? Are they more expensive than your life?

More than 80% of the idols are made from plaster of Paris (POP), which (everyone knows) is non-biodegradable. It takes years and years to degrade but even then does not totally vanish!

Apart from POP, thermacol sheets and pieces floating from the backwaters and making their journey to the pacific is another very common sight! This stuff, which is used in the decoration, is also most of the times immersed along with the idol. They are absolutely non biodegradable and keep floating all their life. And if they are lucky, they might just settle on some sea shore!!!

The level of oxygen for fishes in fresh water bodies and lakes has already dropped down by 50%. Are we waiting for something even more worse? Imagine yourself in that fish’s position and give it a thought. Would you like it?

I wonder if lord Ganesha would ever approve of our way of handling nature (and taking it for granted) in the name of the lord. 
:-/