Infusing new life into home refuses to make Deepavali artefacts

Vidya Prasad, a 70-year-old Bengalurean can teach people a thing or two on how to celebrate Deepavali in an eco-friendly way. The craftswoman, who lives in Vidyaranyapura, has made diyas and Deepavali decoration items with discarded thermocol, paper and other materials. 

Be it Deepavali, Ganesha Chaturthi, Dasara or any other festival, Vidya makes sure to create all festival and puja decoration items, all by herself. She has been doing this devotedly for three years now. This Deepavali, she has prepared eco-friendly diya stands, images of Goddess Lakshmi and other items required for the festival using discarded thermocol, paper, clothes and cartons.

To make them look colourful, she uses acrylic paints and kundans. Her idea to make the best of waste began when her servant brought a piece of thermocol from the roadside and households. Vidya thought why not create artefacts out of it during free time.

She said, “The first year I was busy experimenting. It was since last year, I have been pursuing this hobby seriously. This Dasara, I made around 60-70 dolls out of waste and during Ganesha festival, I created an idol. As a result of the optimum utilisation of paper, cartons and other materials, no dry waste is generated at my house in the last two years. My neighbours hand over dry waste to me now.”

Along with dry waste, she uses peels of cardamoms, broomsticks, anise stars, ice cream sticks, pizza boxes for her artefacts. Vidya said that she was willing to teach people, including children, to create these products.

Ahead of the festival, she advises citizens to avoid bursting crackers and opt for celebrating the festival in a peaceful manner. She said, “They can light diyas and make eco-friendly products at home, instead of buying them. This way, the waste going to the landfills reduces to a certain extent and burden on BBMP decreases.”