This season, celebrate an eco-friendly Ganeshotsav

Ganeshotsav is one of the most celebrated festivals in India. Honestly, it is also the festival of heavy pollution.

For many years now, the blatant and widespread use of plaster of Paris idols, toxic paints and decorations has led to water pollution on a large scale. Besides, it has wreaked irreparable damage on the environment and aquatic life.

This form of rampant destruction has always left me distressed. It has been a secret desire for years now. If only I could reduce this form of oppression to the environment. The answer came to me recently. Why not use eco-friendly clay idols? Why not paint them with traditional, non-toxic and bio-degradable colours made from turmeric and Kumkum? Natural clay, turmeric and Kumkum can actually help purify the water!

What an idea!

So I started visiting the villages around Pune for beautiful Ganeshas made of natural clay which easily dissolves in water - painted with natural colours too. What touched my heart is these craftsmen belong to underprivileged groups. As I run the Beautiful Minds Store – an organisation dedicated to helping the differently-abled, this seemed a truly godsend opportunity.

It would please you to know that I have sourced some very beautiful Ganeshas made of the purest clay and natural colours. They are on sale at the Beautiful Minds Store. This year, we also have 'all natural' "Ganesh Pujan Samagri" kits on offer.