How To Properly “Drown” The Hindu God Of Wisdom
Culture September 4th. 2007, 3:41am
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most popular of traditional Hindu festivals in India. Though the god of wisdom, good fortune, arts and sciences is remembered on the 4th day of every month (called chauth or chaturthi) on the Hindu calendar, Ganesh Chaturthi is the celebration of the gods birthday. Recognized over a ten day period in late August and Early September where milk and prayers are offered to murtis (images or idols) of Ganesh, the festival officially ends when “millions of people of all ages descend onto the streets leading up to the sea, dancing and singing to the rhythmic accompaniment of drums and cymbals” and the murtis are immersed in the nearest body of water.
Of concern is that these murtis (large and small) “made specially for the occasion by cottage industries and street side artisans”, “the immersion of idols made out of chemical materials causes significant water pollution. The traditional mud idols have been replaced by plaster of paris statues (containing gypsum, sulfur, phosphorus and magnesium) which are then painted using toxic chemical dyes (containing mercury, cadmium, lead and carbon) to make them bright and attractive to buyers. These materials poison water bodies, by increasing chemical and organic content. In the process, ecosystems in these water bodies can harm plants and fish species which then die in large numbers. Water that has been polluted in this way can also cause diseases when drunk by people living downstream”
Alternatives which are eco-friendly are using “permanent idols made of brass or stone, performing a symbolic immersion, reusing the same idol annually, using a small unpainted idol made of unbaked clay when you immerse an idol, immersing the idol in a tub or a water tank and avoiding the use of plastic in decorations”.
With an ever rising population and economic explosion, many in India are becoming acutely aware of the potential for environmental disaster in the country. Yet because of the vast Hindu population it is believed that fundamental religious beliefs dealing with respect for the land may be the saving grace for India and her people.
Popularity: 9% [?]
May 26th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Hi, I am a researcher and I amworking on the article on Ganesh. I will be happy to have the photographs for my research. Can you please send them to my email: monikhaa@gmail.com.
June 8th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Respected media persons; we would hereby like to bring to your notice some facts about the various festivals celebrated in Mumbai, especially those that involve immersions of idols.
As we know, it is everybody’s dream to keep Mumbai as eco-friendly and clean as Shanghai, but are we working towards making it possible? Nowadays efforts are being made to ban idols of deities made of P.O.P. which fail to dissolve in water and further pollute our beaches & marine life. What is the use of worshipping idols that cannot be disposed of properly? A lot of mandals make a song and dance about installing an idol but are these based on religious beliefs or they just a way to garner publicity for the sponsors?
Our Navratrotsav Mandal doesn’t believe in this.
Since 1934, from the times of British Rule, we have celebrated the Navratri festival with the use of a simple photo of the deity. We continued this for thirty one years. Then in 1965, one of the devotees of our mandal donated a beautiful idol, 16 inches high, pure silver and from that day onwards, every year, we establish our ‘Ambe Mata’ idol and after the end of the nine day festival we preserve it in our mandal. To satisfy some of the devotees who wished to immerse an idol of the deity, for our 50th and 70th anniversaries, we installed an eco-friendly clay idol of “Ambe Mata” and immersed the same. On our 75th anniversary we plan to install an idol made of papier-mâché and clay in keeping with our motto of not polluting the environment.
We, as a very small mandal, are trying to play a part in keeping our environment intact. We would appeal to all mandals, whether for Navratri, Durga Puja or Ganesh to do their bit to keep our city pollution free and welcome the deities to a clean and green Mumbai for many years to come.
Please remember – EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!
Madhav Bhuvan Navratrotsav Mandal
Lower Parel, Mumbai – 400 013.
August 9th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Rimsky went legate left buy cytotec then announced held.
September 16th, 2008 at 4:04 am
Its Navratri! Come and celebrate with us on the auspicious Occasion of Navratri. Send
these Happy Navaratri Greeting Cards to your friends and relatives and wish them all
a delightful and wonderful Navratri . Send Free Online Invitation and Greeting Cards
to your friends & loved ones. ALL cards are absolutely. FREE!!!
www.desievite.com