Wednesday, 04 SEPTEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
With just a few days left for Ganesh Chaturthi on September 7, there has been a noticeable increase in the demand for eco-friendly idols of the lord made of clay and other environmentally friendly materials this year. Originally, the festival was celebrated mainly in Maharashtra and parts of west India. However, there has been a rising enthusiasm for Ganesh Chaturthi among urban residents here in recent years. Consequently, sellers of Ganesha idols have also witnessed a surge in the preference for eco-friendly idols. Notably, the streets of Bindal, Ballupur and other areas have been adorned with Ganesha idols available for purchase. These decorative and colourful idols have become an attraction for many pedestrians passing through these streets.
A seller of Ganesha idols, Dev Kumar said that he sets up a stall selling Ganesha idols in Dehradun every year. He said that over time, he has noticed an increase in the sale of eco-friendly Ganesha idols. This year, people are reserving eco-friendly idols prior to the festivities. He further explained that the eco-friendly idols are crafted from clay typically sourced from Kolkata.
“I offer a wide range of Ganesha idols at my stall, catering to various budgets from minimum to maximum amounts. Additionally, every size of Ganesha idol is available for customers at my stall. Eco-friendly idols are particularly appealing to customers and are experiencing higher demand this year.” said Vishnu, another Ganesha idol seller.
Besides the idol, the favourite sweet of Lord Ganesha- Modak, has also become an appealing factor for the residents of Dehradun. Sweet shop owner Sandeep Manchanda said that he has a variety of Modaks available for this Ganesh Chaturthi. He further stated that in addition to other sweets, people usually purchase Modaks to offer as Prasad to Lord Ganesha.
It is pertinent to mention here that though organics and eco-friendly items have been in fad in recent years, observers point out that the paints used on idols and colours used in food items make the originally organic products almost toxic.
