Mangalore: Several Dasara Puja committees and temples continue to buy idols fashioned out of Plaster of Paris and baked clay for the festivity, flouting the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) this year.
However, there are some people bucking the trend, who are making an effort towards sustaining and restoring the environment and acknowledging mother nature, even as they take pleasure in the festivities.
Kavita Rajan a resident of Derebail locality in Mangalore, is one such individual, who has ploughed a lonely furrow with the environment in mind. While most idols are made of artificial colours, Plaster of Paris (POP) and other environmentally unfriendly stuff, here at Kavitha’s residence, is an idol that is out-and-out eco-friendly.
The idol is entirely made of natural occurring fruits, materials and substances. Seives, tender coconut, coconut peels, jute ropes, coconut husk, Avarekallu, Yam, 4kgs of Whole-wheat, a 23kg sweet pumpkin, various flowers such as roses, lotus etc have been creatively used to sculpt the idol. The eyes of the goddess are made from Basil seeds and cotton, whilst the lips are made from red chili and the body is structured out of rice baskets woven from hay (Akkimudaye). Different types of grams are been used all around the idol.
Interestingly, the idol portrayed is the Goddess Nature, holding sugarcane in her hand in contrast to the conventional one holding a trident. Kavita, who works as a Neuro linguistic programmer claims that the idol represents peace, harmony, joy, and love of nature.
She has named the idol as ‘Nanamma’, after Mother Nature. She says that it is her God given insights that have assisted her in building the three and half foot idol, for she had no clue as to how she would build it when she started out.
Earlier in the week, the CPCB had issued advisory guidelines to those intending to celebrate Dasara, which suggested that they avoid installing idols made out of POP or baked clay, as they do not dissolve quickly, after immersion in water, and may take anywhere between several months to years to fully dissolve, and this poses a great threat to water bodies.
In this context, the initiatives taken by Kavita and other like minded people are an inspiration.
The CPCB had also said in its advisory, that artificial or synthetic paints used on the idols have heavy metals such as mercury and lead, which seep into the water as the idol dissolves.
It is here too that Kavitha’s initiative has made a difference – she has made use of only natural substances like wheat flour, Gram flour, Sandalwood, and other such natural ingredients.
Apart from advocating the use of environment friendly materials for idols, the guidelines by the CPCB also call for removal of items such as flowers, leaves and artificial ornaments that adorn the ‘Pratima’ before it is immersed, however when it comes to Kavita’s idol, there is no water immersion at all.
Indeed, as most of the materials used in Kavita’s idol are edible, she says, she will be using all the ingredients to make ‘Prasada’ that will be distributed.
When asked whether we would be able to see a similarly sculpted idol next year as well, a spiritually inclined Kavita, who says work is worship said, “I will keep working based on the insights given by the goddess, if she really wishes me to do so, I definitely will.”
Last Ganesh Chaturthi as well, Kavita had taken the same initiative wherein she had prepared an idol from natural material.
