Around 13 years ago, when Mumbai-based artist Rintu Kalyani Rathod was walking along Juhu beach in Mumbai after Ganeshotsav, she was disappointed to see how the shore had washed up pieces of the POP idols, and that made her very sad. The 52-year-old shares, “I am a big Bappa devotee and stay close to Juhu beach and go there for my morning walks. If you go there a few days after visarjan, there are some heart-wrenching scenes. Now things are changing but 13 years ago, I thought to myself ‘what is this kind of devotion?’” Rathod saw broken hands and pieces of Ganpati Idols lying around and people walking over them. “I thought ‘this is very wrong’. So, I decided to do everything inside the house – no air, water or noise pollution.” 

Every year, Indians all over the world celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi during this time of the year as they welcome the elephant-headed God into their homes. This year, the 10-day festival will commence on September 19. Every Mumbaikar knows how it is one of the most-loved festivals in the city, as every street comes alive with festivities that include people coming together, and even enjoying delicious food during this time of the year. Over the years, as people have immersed the idols, as Rathod pointed out, there has been a shift in the way people adopt eco-friendly practices to celebrate the festival, and she made that shift a little over 10 years ago.