VISAKHAPATNAM: Festival cheer took over NT School at Akkayyapalem, two weeks ahead of Ganesh Pooja, as the students learn to make clay Ganesh idols in a moulding workshop held on the school premises on Sunday morning.
More than 50 high school students participated in the one-day workshop, jointly conducted by BV Foundation and Paryavarana Margadarsi Vaisakhi, to spread awareness on eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols and teach the students about the ill-effects of idols made of Plaster of Paris.
“It was the first time I ever tried my hand in clay modelling and I am excited that I could make an idol in the first attempt itself. I also understood the problems of immersing idols made of Plaster of Paris in the sea and the ill-effects synthetic colours have on marine species,” said Aisha Bashir, a student of NT School.
Ch Mohan Rao, an Art teacher of AVN College High School, guided students who showed interest in making clay idols without mould and expressed happiness as more than half of the participants successfully made the idols.
“Through this activity, we are trying to both encourage creativity in the students and educate them about the importance of using eco-friendly substances like clay. It is essential that the kids learn this as part of their environment education,” said Narava Prakasa Rao, the secretary of the BV Foundation .
School correspondent B Vidya Sagar said that it was the third consecutive year that they were conducting such workshops in their school and that they encourage their students to take part in extracurricular activities. “Such activities also help students get closer to nature and learn what harms it,” he added.