Bengaluru: Citizen initiative to collect and recycle religious photos and idols

A citizen forum has started a unique initiative to reuse old idols and photographs of Gods and Goddesses. 

Led by Srilakshmi V, a former paramedic, the HSR Citizen forum discovered that people were dumping pre-owned idols of Gods around trees, temples and parks, unaware of the environmental implications of it. This exercise was done as part of their solid waste management programme. 

Subsequently, the forum began to collect these idols and segregate them into usable and unusable (consisting mostly of plaster of Paris statues and laminated frames). 

The unusable idols are sent to waste collection facilities where they are carefully disposed of, and the usable ones are made available to the public at events where they can pick up pre-owned ones free of cost. People can also drop off their pre-owned idols at these events. These events cater to all kinds of people — hobbyists with an eye for detail, people choosing pieces for their Golu collection and people who simply take idols to re-home them. 

Many people are superstitious about the kind of energy that these used pieces might carry. To help them get over their hesitation, the forum introduced the ‘Visarajana puja’, which is performed by a temple priest before the idols can be sent to their new homes. This is also a means to bid them a proper farewell.

“We hope that this initiative will encourage people to buy things mindfully, and return to the age-old practice of buying recyclable brass, wood and glass idols,” says Srilakshmi, executive member of the HSR Citizen Forum.

The team envisions the practice of thrifting idols to become a neighbourhood activity across Bengaluru.

For details, visit @hsrcitizenforum on Instagram