Ganesh Chaturthi is approaching, and people are flocking the markets to buy the best Ganesh idols. Environmental concerns compel us to purchase eco-friendly Ganesh murti so that the material from which the idol is made doesn’t pollute the water bodies on immersion. Shyam Asolekar, professor at the Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering at IIT-Mumbai, showed that the idols made from PoP (Plaster of Paris) remain intact for several months in still water while the clay idols dissolve within 45 minutes. More than 95% of idols immersed in Ganesh visarjan are made of Plaster of Paris. You see, the need to replace PoP with some eco-friendly material is quite crucial. Most people get confused as they cannot distinguish between the eco-friendly Ganesh murti and the regular murti. Let’s find how to differentiate between the eco-friendly Ganesh murti from the hazardous PoP idol.
1. Check the weight of the idol
When you buy an eco-friendly Ganesh murti, try to assess the weight of the idol. PoP Ganesh murti is much lighter than the eco-friendly Ganesh murti that’s made up of natural clay. But, unfortunately, sometimes the sellers fill the PoP Ganesh murti with cement or some other unsafe material. So do not forget to examine the eco-friendly Ganesh murti form below to clear this doubt.
2. Glossy colours and shiny gems can’t be a part of an eco-friendly Ganesh murti
If the idol is decorated with bright shiny paints and polished gems, it can’t be eco-friendly. The reason is that the colours contain harmful substances like Lead, Chromium and Aluminium that pollute the water bodies when the idol is immersed. Gems and stones beautify the idols, but marine animals often swallow them, making them harmful to aquatic life.
3. PoP Ganesh murti is easy to make and low-cost
Artists make Ganesh idols from Plaster of Paris because it’s easier to make idols with PoP than natural clay. The reason is that natural clay takes a lot of time to dry, but PoP dries fast. Creating an eco-friendly Ganesh murti demands a lot of hard work, and hence artisans avoid making them. The eco-friendly Ganesh idols cost more as they require more effort and focus. Plaster of Paris is very harmful to the environment and should be avoided when it comes to immersing idols in water.
4. Do not go for the glossy look while buying an eco-friendly Ganesh murti
Eco-Friendly Ganesh murti is created from natural clay and painted with natural colours. The emphasis is on saving the environment while celebrating our festivals. Any artificial embellishment can be harmful to our planet; better avoid it before it is too late. Shiny idols look great, but their water immersion disrupts aquatic life and hence the environment as a whole.
An appeal
A large number of fish deaths occur every year after the idol immersion. It is a common observation that water stays cloudy for many days after the celebrations. For the welfare of every creature, we must commit to save our environment by opting for the eco-friendly Ganesh murti. Visit the Loopify website and check they have 100% plastic-free and eco-friendly products.
PANORAMIC RIPPLES 
Interesting. Even Ill check at my friend’s house next time and give her some gyan haha.
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A perfectly timed post, Aditi. With Ganesh Chaturthi around the corner there are bound to be way too many fake ‘eco-friendly’ idols being sold. Your suggestions are sure to help buyers identify the right ones.
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People should be bit responsible toward environment , we can’t simply take it for granted and keep on increasing pollution be it be festivals or day today life.
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Nice tips to recognise the idol if they are eco friendly or not. Thanks for sharing informative post.
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I am so glad you wrote this post! Eco-friendly Ganpati is the best way of contributing to our environment. I have been making the Ganesh Idol at home for the past 3 years now and it’s an immersive experience.
Your post is a very useful guide – especially the part where you highlighted that glossy colours are not safe for the environment. Thank you for writing this informative post!
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Every year, this menace is created by people–either due to ignorance or sheer indifference.
Also, people consider it an attack on their faith if they’re asked to consider environment-friendly alternatives. Not just Ganesh Chaturthi, other festivals also generate harmful by-products. It’s as if people don’t care what happens as long as they get to observe their rituals.
Civic sense has to be taught at the school level. Only then will our children understand and work towards preserving whatever is left of the environment.
But the positive side is that awareness about eco-friendly alternatives is on the rise. Adoption of clay idols is also increasing, despite the cost. When the demand for clay idols will increase, sellers will shift to meet it.
I see cost as a stumbling block, though. Wondering about solutions…
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Wow, that’s definitely a great article. The tips to identify eco-friendly idols are very interesting. Yes, glossy colours are harmful for our environment. Will surely try them on upcoming pujas during October and will inform my friends as well.
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I wish you could spread this post all over. I really feel we should seriously do something about the chemical paint-covered Ganeshas which pollute the waters.
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Interesting tips and I will share with my friends too
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I stepped out for my son’s vaccine and could see small places already starting to sell Ganesh murthis. Perfect timing to share these details and such easy ways to find out if it’s eco-friendly.
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Every one is talking about ECO friendly but very few are able to do that. Hope big ganeshostav should be celebrated in ECO friendly. Specially visrajan should be in water tank only. Love the way you explain it.
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I am so glad that you wrote on this. In the name of eco-friendly idols people just sell anything, we need to think wise and make the right choice.
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Love the tips given to identify of we have an ecofriendly Ganesha. This definitely will help this this time
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We have always bought only clay Ganesha. Of late I have started getting the clay Gowri too as they make them now instead of the color ones. I immerse them in a bucket and use it to water my plants. Every year with the immersion so many lakes get polluted and aqua life die. I sincerely hope people realize this soon and change before we kill all the lakes.
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Nice insights about how to know It’s eco-friendly or not. Thank you for sharing.
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Everyone should switch to buying eco friendly murti. We use eco friendly murti and immerse it in a water bucket at the end and use the mitti for our flower pots. Your article is the need of the day. Great article!
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Everyone should switch to eco friendly ganesh murti. Your article is the need of the daya nd you have written it very well. We used to take Ganesh idol at home and last two times we had switched to eco friendly murti which you can dissolve in the bucket of water at home and then use the same for flower pots.
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I am glad that you have written this article. This is so important to check the material while choosing the idol. We can easily follow these small practices to save our environment.
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This is a very important post and must be read by everyone. Shiny things are not always eco-friendly. We don’t celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi but I have participated in Durga Puja. Back then it wasn’t so bad.
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With Ganpati just around the corner, someone had to address this. Glad to see you spreading awareness through your work. When people associate a festival with the aesthetics of it and not the essence, that’s when these shiny idols take over.
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A very timely post. We need to be more aware about what we are retuning to the environment, now more than ever. The concept of immersing the idols at home is a lot better than all the shiny and plaster of Paris idols.
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Thank you for the detailed information on how to actually distinguish between the Pop and Nature friendly Idols for Ganesh Chaturthi. I am forwarding this to all my friends as most of them buys POP idols not knowing the hazardous impact on our Mother nature.
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Really appreciate your timely and thoughtful post Aditi. Wonderful job with sharing tips for identification too!
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This post should be read by everyone so that they come to know more about the bad effects after Idol-immersion. Very informative post Aditi.
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I have always been curious to know this. Very insightful post indeed!
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