ganesha

The nightmare of our lakes is fast approaching. Yes, this is the time of year that every lake that has water in it would actually be wishing it was dry enough to turn away devotees of Lord Ganesha. Every year during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, thousands of idols that do not dissolve/ with hazardous paint and paraphenalia (not environmentally friendly) find their way to lakes and immersion tanks, creating tons of garbage after the festival.   This year, in order to encourage people to use clay Ganesha idols, MAPSAS will be doing two events at Kaikondarahalli Lake on Sunday, 13th…

The nightmare of our lakes is fast approaching. Yes, this is the time of year that every lake that has water in it would actually be wishing it was dry enough to turn away devotees of Lord Ganesha. Every year during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, thousands of idols that do not dissolve/ with hazardous paint and paraphenalia (not environmentally friendly) find their way to lakes and immersion tanks, creating tons of garbage after the festival.   This year, in order to encourage people to use clay Ganesha idols, MAPSAS will be doing two events at Kaikondarahalli Lake on Sunday, 13th…

Ganesha Chaturthi is still several weeks away (in mid-September), but sales of Ganesha idols have already begun. If you are accustomed to one of those colourful idols of the lord that more often than not end up polluting our lakes and waterbodies, this year you can do it differently. Look out for an ecofriendly Ganesha - one that will dissolve easily in water, and without toxic paints and non-recyclable paraphernalia.   There are many places in Bangalore from where eco-Ganeshas can be ordered and bought. You can look up old collated lists on these links - 2013, 2014.  Ashwini Prasad,…

Ganesha Chaturthi is still several weeks away (in mid-September), but sales of Ganesha idols have already begun. If you are accustomed to one of those colourful idols of the lord that more often than not end up polluting our lakes and waterbodies, this year you can do it differently. Look out for an ecofriendly Ganesha - one that will dissolve easily in water, and without toxic paints and non-recyclable paraphernalia.   There are many places in Bangalore from where eco-Ganeshas can be ordered and bought. You can look up old collated lists on these links - 2013, 2014.  Ashwini Prasad,…

I was on my way to a temple in Dodda Mavalli because it was Gowri Ganesh and I had been told it would be a day when devotees would come both to the Maramman temple and the Ashwath katte next to it. I was just curious to see what the rituals were like on this day. The autorickshaw driver abruptly stopped at the end of a narrow lane much before we had reached the temple. In front of us, there was an open space between small houses and there were tempos parked there. Small idols of Ganesha were being carried…

I was on my way to a temple in Dodda Mavalli because it was Gowri Ganesh and I had been told it would be a day when devotees would come both to the Maramman temple and the Ashwath katte next to it. I was just curious to see what the rituals were like on this day. The autorickshaw driver abruptly stopped at the end of a narrow lane much before we had reached the temple. In front of us, there was an open space between small houses and there were tempos parked there. Small idols of Ganesha were being carried…

My Bhumi, a Bangalore-based NGO, in conjunction with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is working to promote an eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi celebration this year. Supported by Friends of Lakes, RR Nagar Cares, One Bangalore Lakes and other groups and individuals, the focus is to reach out to children through their schools, and educate them about the connection between eco-friendly Ganesha idols and lakes in Bangalore.    Children are being encouraged to get their parents to buy unpainted clay idols. If the brown idols cost more than the colourful ones they are used to, then they can go in for…

My Bhumi, a Bangalore-based NGO, in conjunction with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is working to promote an eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi celebration this year. Supported by Friends of Lakes, RR Nagar Cares, One Bangalore Lakes and other groups and individuals, the focus is to reach out to children through their schools, and educate them about the connection between eco-friendly Ganesha idols and lakes in Bangalore.    Children are being encouraged to get their parents to buy unpainted clay idols. If the brown idols cost more than the colourful ones they are used to, then they can go in for…

More than a month and a half have gone since the Ganesha festival, but the idols and trash at the Kalyani tank at Kaikondrahali Lake still make for a sorry sight. There are also the flowers and leaves which were collected in big trash bags. The Kalyani at Kaikondrahalli on Oct 8th. Pic: Rajesh Dubey. This is a negligence of duty from the garbage contractor. Lake monitoring committee members have been calling them continuously for weeks now. Each time, we are told that it will be cleared within a week. And weeks come and weeks go, the stuff remains. The…

More than a month and a half have gone since the Ganesha festival, but the idols and trash at the Kalyani tank at Kaikondrahali Lake still make for a sorry sight. There are also the flowers and leaves which were collected in big trash bags. The Kalyani at Kaikondrahalli on Oct 8th. Pic: Rajesh Dubey. This is a negligence of duty from the garbage contractor. Lake monitoring committee members have been calling them continuously for weeks now. Each time, we are told that it will be cleared within a week. And weeks come and weeks go, the stuff remains. The…