If you really love Ganpati Bappa... then take a plant home and care for it well
The grandeur of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Delhi-NCR rivals that of the Mumbai utsavs. But usually, that also means litter in the streets and a polluted river after visarjan. This year, however, is going to be another story. This time, the Ganpati festival (on September 13) will bring good luck to not just the devotees but also to nature.
Besides getting delicious modaks as prasad, devotees will also get saplings. This is an extension of the eco-friendly steps that Ganpati puja organisers have been taking for the past few years — so far, we’ve seen chemical-free Ganesha idols, and curbs on the use of plastic at pandals.
Mahendra Ladda, founderpresident, Shri Ganesh Area Mandal, which organises Delhi ka Maharaja in Laxmi Nagar, says, “We’ve been celebrating Ganpati puja for 16 years, and four years ago, we started using an eco-friendly Ganesha idol. We even initiated the practice of visarjan in the pandal itself, to avoid polluting the Yamuna and reducing traffic jams. And then we thought, ‘What about the pollution that has already corroded our environment?’ To fight this pollution, we decided to use plants as our weapons.
“We’re decorating our Ganesha pandal with 4,500 potted plants, which will be distributed to visitors along with prasad, after visarjan.”
Ladda informs that no plastic has been used even in waterproofing the puja tent.
The sapling idea is shared by the committee of Lalbagh ka Raja, Pitampura. Puja pradhan Naresh Goyal says, “We’ll present potted plants along with mementos to our guests who’ll visit during the Ganpati celebrations. These guests include Bollywood celebrities, and we feel that if they join us in the drive to plant saplings, then more people will follow.”
Some organisations began the festivities with greening drives. One of them is the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samiti, which sets up a Ganpati puja pandal at Huda Community Centre, Sector 27, Gurugram. “Before setting up the pandal, we organised a plantation drive, where around 150 people participated and planted 70 trees,” says Manoj Kharad, president of the committee, adding that visitors would be encouraged to adopt a plant and take good care of it.
Mandeep Singh, president of Dilli Ka Raja Utsav Samiti in Ramesh Nagar, says that their message to visitors is ‘Save the Environment’. The committee will distribute 500 plants, and “encourage everyone to plant at least one sapling and water it regularly, so that it lives on for years after they’re gone.”
We’re decorating our Ganesha pandal with 4,500 potted plants, to be distributed to visitors along with prasad, after visarjan. MAHENDRA LADDA PUJA ORGANISER, EAST DELHI
Before setting up the pandal, we organised a plantation drive, where around 150 people participated and planted 70 trees.
MANOJ KHARAD PUJA ORGANISER, GURUGRAM