There has been a mindful shift from Plaster-of-Paris to eco-friendly Lord Ganesha idols.
Keeping in sync with the eco-friendly theme of Ganesh Chaturthi this year, a statue of the elephant-headed Lord Ganesha has been made using 11 types of grains in Chhattisgarh's Raipur.
In comparison to last year, there has been a mindful shift from Plaster-of-Paris to eco-friendly Lord Ganesha idols.
A member of an eco-friendly group, Vinay Kumar Sahu, said the aim is to make Lord Ganesha idol using grains to reduce pollution.
"We have used 11 types of grains to make the Lord Ganesha idol. After immersion, the grains will be eaten by water animals like fish and tortoise. If the grains settle down near river beds, then, they will grow into crops. Rs 21, 000 have been spent for making this idol," Mr Sahu said.
The eco-friendly Lord Ganesha has also been made by using 51 kilograms of waste newspapers. Interestingly, there are two mouse standing in front of the statue. One has been named as the news reporter and the other as the cameraman, holding a camera.
The synthetic colours, non-biodegradable materials and plaster-of-Paris that are usually used to make idols cause damage to the environment and the marine animals when immersed in water. This year, however, a variety of idols made of chocolates, seeds, threads, gol-gappas, bananas were seen in the country.
The Hindu festival, which is dedicated to the Lord of new beginnings, Ganesha, is marked with the installation of the deity's idol at home and at elaborate pandals. The 10-day festival ends with the final immersion - also called the visarjan of Lord Ganesha's idol.