Ganesh Chaturthi 2020 Image: Ganesha idols made of red sand and lentils in Tamil Nadu
Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Lord Ganesh will soon be welcomed in households across the country as Ganeshotsav or Ganesh Chaturthi starts tomorrow. The festivities are muted this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the uniqueness of Ganesh Chaturthi remains. This year, in Tamil Nadu, a non-profit organisation has come up with Ganesh idols made of several kinds of lentils.
"These Ganesh idols are made of red sand and lentil seeds embedded on them," Kannan, a social worker told news agency ANI. "Unlike coloured idols that contaminate water, these idols will not pollute the water bodies," he said, adding that after immersion it will dissolve in an hour and "fish can feed on the lentils". Kannan is associated with the group that cleans water bodies in Coimbatore.
There are restrictions on large gatherings on Ganesh Chaturthi in view of the pandemic but small and beautiful idols of Ganpati Bappa can be welcomed at homes.
In the last couple of years, the demand for eco-friendly Ganesha idols have gone up. The artists are experimenting with lentils, bamboo, waste papers and water-soluble colours to make the idols in such a way that pollution levels do not rise after visarjan or immersion at the end of the 10-day festival.
Last year, in Mumbai, a 22-feet Ganpati idol was made of bamboo sticks, paper mash, water-soluble adhesives and colours. Around 15 artists had worked for more than six months to make the huge Ganpati Bappa idol, weighing around 1,500-2,000 kilogram, the organisers had said.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2020 Images: Glimpses from across the country
Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Idol of Lord Ganesha slaying a structure resembling coronavirus
Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: In Kolkata, an artist gives finishing touches to Ganesha idol
Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: In Chennai, an artisan gives finishing touch to an idol of Lord Ganesha
Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: In Amritsar, an idol seller waits for buyers
Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: In Amritsar, a woman artisan with her idol of Lord Ganesha
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi 2020!