Ganeshotsav 2022: From Onion Ganpati to Coconut Ganesha, Pandals Go 'Eco-Friendly' With a Twist

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in India and the festivities are often grand in scale. For instance, the famous Lalbaugcha Raja or the Chinchpokli Chintamani idols in Mumbai. The festival holds great importance among all Hindu festivals and is celebrated auspiciously in states like Maharashtra, Telangana, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. However, this year, people are trying to make the festival environmental friendly.

A Ganesh Puja pandal in Hyderabad has become an attraction point for for its eco-friendly Ganesh idol. The creative Ganesh idol is made up of 17,000 coconuts and it took eight days for completion.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Kumar, an organiser, said that the Ganesh pandal is exquisitely decked with various themes. A Kerala-based artist travelled all the way to Hyderabad to adorn a Ganesh pandal made of coconuts. He said, “Ganesh idol, which is built of coconuts, is really attracting the people of Hyderabad. I suggest everyone refrain from buying PoP idols. To have a safe environment around us, it is important for all of us to follow purchasing eco-friendly idols.”

This is not just confined to Hyderabad. In Maharashtra, Lord Ganesha’s idol was made using 60 kg of onions in Kamargaon village. The idol was made by Jai Bhavani Ganesh Mandal in Washim.

Meanwhile, Indian Forest Service official Parveen Kaswan took to his official Twitter handle and shared an image of the 1100 year old Ganesha idol in Bastar. “The idol, made during the time of Nagvanshi dynasty, is placed atop a ‘dhol’ shaped hill that lies 14 km inside the forest,” he wrote in the caption.

Established atop the Dholkar hill in Dantewada, the statue was made during the reign of the Nagvanshi dynasty. Apart from the seren atmosphere which surrounds it, the idol is also known for its story.

It is worshipped as a saviour by the local Bhogami tribals, who consider themselves the descendants of the female priests of Dholkal. If myths are to be believed, the hill is the site of a battle between Lord Ganesha and the seer Parashuram. Amid the battle, Ganesha’s tooth was broken and fell here.

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