Amcha bappanna manacha mujra ?

Idol workship in India has been in practice since many years. Worshipping idols is what makes India a culturally diverse country. People from across the countries, especially visit India during the time of Ganpati visarjan because they actually find our country ‘the powerhouse of different cultures amalgamating into one’. Like for example, we surely don’t believe in castes and races when we celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. And today when it comes to ‘SARVAJANIK’ mandals, we surely enjoy those 10 days of happiness and excitements. Now, the time has come when Ganpati visarjan will be  encouraged. Because this is the trend that we have in India. Installing idols and then immersing them in ponds, lakes, rivers, wells and seas. 

Last year, when we had our idol immersed in a lake, my eyes caught attention to few youngsters from America, who had visited the city only for this bright fest. They were happy to meet our cultures, our people and also our celebrations. But, when they saw those huge Ganpati idols immersing in the water, they were very frustrating looking at the water which got polluted. And this left a bad remark on our city. The next day, the newspapers had the dead images of ganpati visarjan. Dead images of various idols lying dead to the brim of the water. You see there is a big difference when we worship those happy idols and the day after visarjan you see them dying in the water…

Every year, approximately 2.5 Lakh Ganesh idols are immersed in water. Due to this, the oxygen level of the water drops by 70%, which itself leaves a poor impression on how that water should be used for drinking. So, here is the checklist that should be taken care of while immersing your idols.

• For tiny idols installed at your places, encourage water bucket challenges so that the clay dissolved water can be used for plants.
• For heavy idols, materials like vastras, flowers, decorating materials should be removed before immersing your idols in ponds, rivers or seas.
• Yes, of course, there are artificial (or synthetic)  liners installed in every place, but it's our responsibility to install our POP idols in them so that they can be reused the next year.
• Temporary ponds are in fashion these days. So what can be the best option then to immerse those idols in them?
• Immediately after immersion of large idols, the idols don’t get dissolved in the water bodies because of the artificial sprays and the chemicals that are used in it. So, it should be our responsibility to opt for eco-friendly components the very net year.
• For immersion of large idols in the seas, the mandap adhikaris should see to it that they immerse those idols in between the high - tide and low-tide, so that the idols get immersed instantly and there are less chances of water pollution in it.
• Sledges which carry the loads of all the idols don’t get immersed in water because they are made from wood. So, its our prime duty to, immediately remove all those components within 48 hours of the idol immersion.
• If we people celebrate 10 days of Ganesh Chaturthi, can’t we give an additional day off and clean the toxin which has been done by us? Just imagine, 11 days of Ganesh Chaturthi will not only prevent dislodging of water but will give us an additional day to celebrate this fest with great enthusiasm and zeal. After all, it’s the part of ‘Swach Bharat abhiyan’.
• Yes of course, mass awareness banners are in boon during idol immersion days, but can’t the same be provoked before a month when we place the order for our idols before murtikars and artists?
• Many foundations have been giving their strong support for the eco-friendly visarjans, but when it comes to manage the visarjan of such lakhs of ganpati idols, there are surely management issues and to supervise such things, there is surely a need for thousands of cleanliness bodies.
• Idols which have been immersed in water should be removed within 48 hours of immersion, so that the water gets spruced up for another idol immersion. Else, it becomes completely occupied and the idols are left partially immersed.
• And from net year, it should be our responsibility to install small idols at our places.

Well, if we the people cannot reduce water pollution, then we ourselves have got no right to pollute it with so many toxic substances.  Lokmanya Tilak’s main motive in celebrating  Ganesh Chaturthi was to  bring  people together and celebrate the freedom of independence, but can’t we add one more objective to this and promote ‘Healthy and pollution free celebration?’

Those idols that are worshiped for 10 days and then check them out after they are partially immersed in water. This makes such a big difference in the actual scenario. Well, you see them lying in the dead conditions and how can that be a part of our celebration? It is therefore essential to celebrate this festival considering the environmental  prevention and action. For this blog, I surely doubt ‘Is it a manacha mujra?’