Children craft sustainable Ganeshas in Ghaziabad

Clay-streaked hands, quiet focus, and a chorus of tips from elders turned Sumrise Green Society’s central park in Ghaziabad into a small studio on August 25. More than 50 children, ages 6 to 15, sat in circles shaping their own Ganesha idols from shadu mati — a natural clay — and plant-based colors. The goal was simple and serious: celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 with eco-friendly idols that dissolve cleanly during visarjan.

The community-led workshop, hosted by the Residents’ Welfare Association, was guided by master artisan Mukesh Murtikar, a well-known eco-idol maker from the city. He moved from group to group, showing kids how to knead clay until it’s smooth, how to balance the trunk and crown, and how to add details without cracking the base. No glitter. No plaster of Paris. No chemical paints. Just clay, water, and plant-derived hues.

“This activity teaches our children to celebrate traditions responsibly. By using clay and natural colors, we’re honoring Lord Ganesha without harming the planet he protects,” said society president Priya Sharma, watching students compare their careful work before setting idols out to dry. Parents hovered nearby, letting the kids lead the way.

The timing was deliberate. Ganesh Chaturthi begins on August 27 this year and ends with visarjan on September 5. Families will install the handmade idols at home and return to the society’s artificial immersion ponds for visarjan, instead of heading to rivers or public ghats. District environmental officer Rajesh Kumar, who dropped by the event, called it the right call for the season: “Community-led initiatives like this reduce transportation emissions and prevent toxic waste from entering our water systems.”

The ponds, set up inside the housing complex, are designed for safe immersion and easy cleanup. By keeping the process within the compound, residents avoid long commutes and the rush that typically builds up near major water bodies in the region. Volunteers will manage the logistics through the festival, from guiding the queue to collecting clay residue for proper disposal and reuse where possible.

For the children, the lessons were hands-on and straight to the point. Murtikar and volunteers scaffolded the session so beginners wouldn’t get lost:

• Start with a stable base and gently press the torso before shaping the head and trunk.
• Use a little water to smooth cracks; too much water weakens the structure.
• Fix the ears and ornaments last, when the base is firm.
• Let the idol air-dry; avoid heat that can cause fractures.
• Use natural colors sparingly; thin coats dry cleaner and dissolve faster during visarjan.

By the end, each child carried a distinct version of Ganesha — some simple and serene, others with carefully etched tilaks and tiny modaks. The society provided all materials, and families will take the idols home for daily prayers through the festival’s ten-day cycle.

Why the shift to clay is gaining ground

Delhi-NCR has been nudging this transition for years. Municipal bodies regularly set up artificial ponds and run advisories against plaster-of-Paris and chemical paints. The Central Pollution Control Board’s guidelines recommend natural clay and artificial immersion tanks to protect lakes and rivers from debris, dyes, and other residues that spike after immersion days. In past monitoring rounds, authorities have often reported increases in turbidity and solids in water bodies immediately after mass immersions. The fix is not complicated: use biodegradable materials and keep immersion sites controlled.

Ghaziabad has seen that message land with residents, vendors, and artisans. Local markets report growing demand for biodegradable idols, and societies are turning workshops into community fixtures. Sumrise Green’s effort brought all the pieces together — artisans who can teach, an RWA that can organize, and a plan for visarjan that doesn’t pass the environmental load to a river downstream.

The setup also tackles a subtle problem: convenience. Families often pick up whatever idol is easiest to find close to the festival, which, in past years, has meant plaster-of-Paris options with shiny chemical colors. By bringing materials and training to the courtyard weeks in advance, the society made the sustainable choice the default one.

Parents liked the format because it blended ritual with responsibility. Children learned why the idol must dissolve fully, why natural colors matter, and how their actions fit into a bigger conservation picture. Residents said all 50-plus idols made at the event will be worshipped at home and immersed in the society’s pond on September 5, supervised by volunteers to keep the process safe and orderly.

The model is spreading. Neighboring communities in Ghaziabad have started planning similar child-centric workshops, and RWAs are swapping checklists: secure an artisan, pre-book clay, set up shaded drying areas, schedule staggered batches, and brief families on immersion timings. These are small adjustments, but they add up — fewer vehicle trips, cleaner water, and a generation that knows how to celebrate without leaving a mess behind.

Back in the park, the last batch of idols dried on low tables while kids compared notes. One boy had gone minimalist, another had patiently sculpted jewelry, and a younger group focused on getting the trunk right. No two idols looked the same, and that was the point. Each one was a lesson tucked into tradition — a festival story molded into clay, ready to go home, and ready to return to the water the right way.

With the festival just days away, Sumrise Green Society has promised more helpers on visarjan day and a clear plan to handle the flow of families. The RWA says materials leftover from the workshop will be saved for touch-ups, and volunteers will be on call for any repairs. It’s not a grand scheme, just a practical one — and it’s starting to shape how an entire neighborhood celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi 2025.