JOIN USWith an aim to keep the environment safe and go eco-friendly during this Ganesh Chaturthi, a group of friends — Rajesh, Manmohan Surya, Vijay, Rakesh and Keshav — have come with a unique concept of ‘Thota Ganapa.’ These clay idols can be used to plant seeds and saplings after the ‘Visarjan’.
“Most of the Ganesha idols are made of Plaster of Paris (PoP), which causes harm to the environment. We decided to spread the idea of planting a sapling on Ganeshotsava and use clay idols instead of PoP ones,” said Rajesh, member of the Eco Friends group.
“We researched on how one could sow a seed in the same pot where the ‘Visarjan’ was done. We tried four different procedures. Vijay and I took a brief course in the basics of gardening. The course in gardening was very useful and helped to realise our dream of transforming the Ganesha idol into a plant,” said Rajesh.
After a research spanning almost two to four months, the team came up with a Ganesha kit and named it ‘Thota Ganapa.’
The kit has an idol of Thota Ganapa, UV stabilised square pot, nutrient block (expands up to 10 litres of growing soil), seeds (tomato, beans, brinjal, chilly and Tulsi) depending on the customer’s choice, and an instruction manual.
“During the Visarjan, one can pour water into the pot. The idol will take around 40 to 50 minutes to dissolve. After the Visarjan, drop the nutrient blocks in 30 to 45 minutes so that it absorbs all the excess water, add potting mix and then sow the seeds of the choice. The aim of this initiative is to reduce the pollution level and the harmful effects of PoP on the environment. The concept helps to contribute to the environment while we celebrate festivals,” said Rajesh.
Thota Ganapa is available at Sri Durga Savayava Malige Near Ayodhya Hotel, PVS Circle Kodialbail, Mangaluru from August 30 to September 9.