Published in Dwarka Express on 3.9.22

As we bid adieu to Lord Ganesha, the celebrations culminated as usual with the visarjan carried out all over India. In Bangalore, the BBMP has made meticulous arrangements all over the city to address the issue of immersion of the idols. An apartment in Bangalore spares Rs 50000 plus to procure a life-size Ganesh Idol, but it does not care to ensure that the idol is eco-friendly. South India has a rich tradition and the lifestyle in the past had always been simple and eco-friendly when many had not even heard of the term ‘eco-friendliness’. In fact, the entire South from time immemorial, had been using clay made idols which used to be immersed in the rivers and waterbodies. There never used to be an idol made of plaster of Paris using chemicals once upon a time. Come Dasshera, Durga Ma will decorate the pandals and party halls in the same way and take leave in ponds and waterbodies. Year after year, the most antagonized environmentalists will make a lot of noise pollution in vain against the move of people in conducting the programs in this way. One of my activist friends was vociferous against usage of SUP and also littering, during festivals, though her voice was unheard or least cared. The organisers of such melas, festivals and cultural events comfortably forget all the laws to protect the environment. She laments, ‘what is below dignity to bring vessels from home to collect Prasad in common functions in apartments.’ Prompt comes the reply, ‘it doesn’t look gracious on festival occasions to bring vessels to public areas’  In the past, we have heard how our sacred rivers are flooded with the broken idols of Lord Ganesh in the past. We have also experienced how in cities like Ahmedabad, people left idols on the banks for lack of space for immersion. We do not say that there is all round callousness. But, there is no conviction or political will to address to the concern. The same society which was once naturally eco-friendly has entered into an era which is materialistic but talks tall about saving environment in air-conditioned auditoriums but are not comfortable in thinking why we need to revert to the life which they were well accustomed to, once upon a time.  Entire North is going to burn and blast Rawan during Dasshera and we are all going to witness it. The personification of the ‘Elephant-headed’ God signifies the very purpose of living and signals the need for being close to nature. There are rules, there is awareness, but these are comfortably forgotten when people’s agenda is something different. No wonder why Indian forests are shrinking and why quality of life is deteriorating day by day.