With an aim to respectfully dispose idols of deities after Diwali, a local man here has taken up the responsibility of collecting them from designated sites and immersing them in river Yamuna with Vedic rituals.
Sunil Dubey, 45, said he was hurt to see the idols being thrown on streets and temple premises after the festival and hence came up with the initiative.
"I was pained to see idols of Laxmi and Ganesh being kept under trees, temple premises, on walls and near footpaths among other places," Dubey told PTI.
"It shows how selfish we are. After worshipping the idols, we put them outside and do not care," he added.
Dubey said 101 places have been earmarked where people have been asked to keep the idols and that he and his team spend about fix to six everyday hours in collecting them.
"Being a member of the Brahmin Parishad, I shared the idea of disposing the idols at a 'kund' in Hathi Ghat on the banks of the Yamuna. They not only appreciated the plan but also extended support. Since then, I have been carrying out this work," he said.
"We also received support from Agra Municipal Corporation," Dubey added.
Anish Chaturvedi, who supports the initiative, said he had seen several idols thrown on roads and being run over by vehicles. "Such practices should be discouraged and awareness be created," he said.
Inspired by the initiative, a local journalist named Raghvendra Singh said he had asked his neighbours to keep all their idols in the premises of his house.
Pandit Brahamdutt said, "Just like how we worship the idols on Diwali, there is a ritual for their disposal. The Agra Municipal Corporation has heped us in digging a 'kund' for the immersion ceremony."
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