In its 15th year, Nirmitee Art Connoisseurs gallery will be showcasing 1,001 eco-friendly idols of the elephant-headed god, made from bamboo, fruits, weaver bird nests and mushrooms
In its 15th year, Nirmitee Art Connoisseurs gallery will be showcasing 1,001 eco-friendly idols of the elephant-headed god, made from bamboo, fruits, weaver bird nests and mushrooms
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Lord Ganesha has always been a God of the times. So, in 1893 when Bal Gangadhar Tilak needed a tool to unify disparate communities and create nationalistic fervour he transformed Ganeshotsav into a public event. Over the years, the festival has reflected the issues of the times ranging from swine flu to terrorism. 
Realising that PoP (plaster of paris) idols don't fully disintegrate and actually pollute the water sources during immersion, Nirmitee is hosting their annual Vakratund Mela, an exhibition of 1,001 organic Ganesha idols sourced from various parts of the country. The festival is now in its 15th year and the idols have been sourced from the remote villages across Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and West Bengal among other states.
"Our theme for this year's mela is nature's bounty and we will showcase bio-degradable Ganeshas made from natural raw materials such as bottle gourd, coconut shells, betelnut, pods, mushrooms, barks of trees, jute, paper pulp, clay, bamboo, fruits, weaver bird nests and even pebbles. After all, God is also the protector of nature and seeks peace and harmony between man and man as well as man and nature," said Surendra Khajanchi, owner of Nirmitee Art Gallery.
The Mela is named after one of the epithets of Ganesha and started way back in 1996 with brass and rosewood idols but went the eco-friendly way in 2006. Around 50% of their products are made inhouse by art director Mita K Punamiya,u00a0 the rest are sourced from artisans across the country.
Visitors will also be surprised to spot Ganeshas in various creative poses such as typing away on a laptop, playing cricket, talking on a cell phone, boating and fishing. "Ganesha is a very adaptable deity. After all, even a simple curved stroke on paper is enough to depict the deity, so he takes to different forms easily," added Khajanchi.
He admits that there is better awareness about eco-friendly idols over the last five years and people understand that green is beautiful. "I had customers booking eco-friendly Ganesha idols by January itself, which is indicative of the acceptance of such idols," concludes Khajanchi.
Till September 4, 11 am to 8 pm
At Nirmitee, SK Bole Road, Dadar (W).
Call 24229139 / 24223655
cost Rs 100 onwards
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