Bappa dons new avatars

Ganesh Chaturthi is upon us once again, and we give you a sneak peek at some extraordinary craftspeople across the city, who are using the festival to create idols that make a difference

Fairy lights line the streets — adding dashes of pinks, greens and reds to the dull yellows of lamp posts — pointing the way to pandals. People throng markets, buying new clothes; sweetshops work overtime to make modaks, laddoos and puran polis, as the orders keep pouring in. The air is heavy with anticipation and the scent of kheer and flowers permeate many a home. Essentially, you cannot step foot out of your house without the festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi engulfing you.

While many have their household pujas to attend, others take the opportunity for 10 days of pandal hopping, looking forward to the themed pujas as well as the traditional Ganesh idols.

When one thinks of the makers of these revered idols, the name of Madhusudhan D. Kamblir, creator of the Lalbaug Cha Raja, instantly comes to mind, along with perhaps the other adept hands that deftly create Ganesh idols in temporary roadside workshops covered in bright blue polyester sheets. However, there are a bunch of Mumbaikars, who are using their skills to make their own Ganpati idols, and a few of them who choose a more creative path than the others.

Take for example, TV actor Raqesh Vashishth, who makes it a point to take time out from his busy schedule to create idols and even gives each of them a theme. Another interesting personality is a gentleman who took eco-friendly Ganesh idols to the next level, creating them from material that serves as fish food once they dissolve during visarjan. An NGO, which is specially dedicated towards young adults with Down’s Syndrome also uses this festive season to create their own idols is another example. Whether it is the individual creating the idols, or the idols themselves, these stories are sure to add a bit of warmth to the 10-day festivities.

Beginning at the end: 30-year-old Dattadri Kothur fell in love with lord Ganesha the very first time he saw his idol. Born and brought up in the Bansinger chawls of Lower Parel, Kothur has given the city a chance to create a lasting memento of the idols, long after they are submerged. An art director by profession, sculpting is a passion for him. Dattadri’s Tree Ganesha idols are made entirely out of organic materials that disintegrate when they get wet. The idols are also designed in a way that requires them to be watered like you would a plant, rather than being immersed in the sea. Once they are dampened, seeds hidden inside them germinate to form a beautiful plant. He explains, “I have been making eco-friendly Ganesh idols for my house since the past 15 years now. Though the idols were made of clay, I’d always wonder if something could be done to make these idols a part of nature. After attending various workshops on plantation and several experiments and attempts, I came up with the idea of Tree Ganesha,” he adds.

Using a mixture of red soil and organic fertiliser, Dattadri uses ladyfinger seeds in the idol. The idol need not be completely immersed in water but can be kept in a pot and should be watered regularly till the soil dissolves, he informs. “After the immersion of the idol, people can grow ladyfinger plants in their balcony, terrace or garden. In Mumbai, about 4 to 5 lakh Ganpati idols are made every year, out of these even if about a lakh are Tree Ganesh idols, we will take a major step towards saving our environment. This year, I opened the booking only for my friends and started getting orders from all across the world; we got orders from Mauritius too!” says the excited eco-warrior, who takes about four hours to make an idol.

Dattadri has managed to deliver 500 idols in a span of one month, and has also roped his friends from the locality to lend him a helping hand. “Each year after the festival, we see that the beaches are completely strewn with debris. We need to at least start taking baby steps towards preserving our environment,” he adds.

A treat for the fish: Anand Pendharkar has not looked back at the life he left behind, since the time he gave up his job to liberate himself from the shackles of the city. The founder of Sprouts, a non-profit NGO in the city, started making clay and papier mâché Ganesh idols 15 years ago. Recently, he came to the conclusion that spreading awareness about eco-friendly idols won’t suffice and that the city needed an alternative to replace the plaster of Paris (POP) idols, to keep nature happy. Along with a group of student volunteers, he decided to make fish-friendly Ganesh idols this year and, yes, his idols are vegetarian! He explains, “ Fish food generally consists of other aquatic creatures, and we did not want to hurt the religious sentiments of the people. After some research, we realised that we can make our own vegetarian fish food.”

Using corn, sprouts, spinach and chickpea flour, the team makes a dry mixture of noodles to fill the idol. When immersed in water the clay dissolves and the idol becomes a treat for the fish! “POP idols have been creating havoc. We use natural ingredients like turmeric, kumkum, multani mitti and gheru to create the colours, which easily dissolve in water. Over the years, due to marketing and politics, the size of the idols have gone on increasing and so has the pollution. It’s become a show of power. When Bal Gangadhar Tilak started the festival, the idols would not be more than two and a half feet tall, but that isn’t the case anymore. It’s time people start giving back to the ocean by using natural material to make the idols,” he adds.

Carrying a tradition forward: Many know Rakesh Vashisth as a television heartthrob, but it has recently been revealed that he makes his own Ganpati idol every year for his family puja. The actor looks back on how an accidental discovery by his mother during his childhood opened doors to his creative spirit, which had been untapped all this while. “On the hills behind our house in Pune, there was a temple and an old man there would make Ganesh idols and gift them to people. My mother came across him one day and told me about him, since I loved creative projects even as a child. I’d go there all the time after school. Kinkar kaka — as I referred to the old man — never said much, and just made the idols. I picked up the art very quickly and I’ve been self-taught for the most part. The first idol I made was when I was in class eight,” he reminisces.

Although he’s not an idol worshipper himself, the actor has taken forward the tradition of Ganpati pujas at home and has been making idols for these for the past six years. “The idols I make usually have a theme. Last year’s Ganesh was a baby Ganpati and this year’s is where he is playing the veena,” he explains. “My family is usually very emotional about the idols—you can see a spark in their eyes when we’re doing the puja and some of them actually start to cry during the visarjan,” he laughs.

A symbol of empowerment: For the young-adult women with Down’s Syndrome at Om Creations, crafting Ganesha idols with their own hands is not just therapeutic, but also a way of empowerment. “We came up with the exercise around Ganesh Chathurthi, and we thought what better than to take Ganpati as a subject for them to try out their skills,” says Ranjana Mahadevia, a trustee of Om Creations. According to her, making these idols have become a way for the women of the NGO to develop their motor skills and concentration. “It is a calming exercise and it also creates a greater sense of self worth. Some of the concepts they come up with are really amazing. Just this morning, I saw a statue, which has the shape of Ganpati, is coloured blue-grey like Shiva and has a little flute, representing the fact that all Gods are one. I thought it was a beautiful concept,” gushes Ranjana, adding that most of their idols are sold out already.

“I enjoy making Lord Ganeshji idols out of clay. My favourite task is painting the Ganesh idol with natural colours. We create eco-friendly idols, as they don’t harm nature. So, when we immerse the Ganesh idol at home or in the sea, they will dissolve easily,” says Neha, one of the girls with Down’s Syndrome, who has been making idols since the past few years. She also adds that since the NGO is celebrating its 25th anniversary, they will be displaying some of the Ganpati idols, along with other artwork in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya later in the month.