On September 11,was the Festival of Ganesh Chathuti people bring home an idol, workship and then immerse it in water Often we may remember the legend associated with Ganesha’s birth.The five elements that make up everything in nature, Fire,Water,Air, Earth and Ether- Ganesha os supposed to be the Lord of the Earth element- Prithvi tattva. In ancient times, agricultural communities were very conscios of their dependence on the fertility of the earth, because they knew that it is the source of all our food. During the monsoons, as the overflowing rivers deposited fresh fertile soil on their banks,farmers and their families would bring home a handful of this soil and worship it. They would offergratitude to the earth in this way and when teir ritual was over they would bring back this socil to the banks of the river an immese it back in the flowing waters.
This ancient tradition has been many trasformations, the mound of earth took the form of Ganesha and it is now the festival of Ganesh Chathurti. Earlier, people made their idols from the earth they brought home. Slowly it got replaced by beatifully sculpted idols made by craftsmen. Earth was replaced by plster of paris and then chemical pints were added to it.
Plaster of paris is a man made substance that does not degrade easily. Chemical oil paints contain heavy metals such as lead and mercury and these are toxic to all life.
Celebrate Ganesh Chathuthi the natural way.Get some elay and make your own idol at home Decorate it with leaves, flowers and fruits. Immerse he idol ina becket of clean water at home.Watch it dissolve and they pour the waer in to a plant. This way, your prayrs will reach bck to the Lord of he Earth, without causing any damage to our environment.
Prof.John Kurakar
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