BHUBANESWAR: The Bakul Foundation marked Ganesh Puja with its unique Tree Ganesh initiative, promoting a deeper cultural bond with nature and an eco-friendly way of celebrating the festival.
For the seventh consecutive year, Bakul volunteers transformed a mature tree in front of the Bakul Library at Biju Patnaik Park (Forest Park) into Lord Ganesh using natural, eco-friendly and reused materials.
A painted coconut represented the mouse, traditional winnowing trays formed the ears, while reused thermocol and sunboard were used for the tusks and eyes. The trunk was painted to depict Ganesha’s face and trunk.
The Tree Ganesh was dressed in a pink dhoti and turban, giving the traditional iconography a contemporary interpretation.
Unlike conventional idols, the Tree Ganesh requires no immersion. The artwork will gradually wash away with the rains, leaving the tree intact and avoiding the generation of idol waste and contamination of water bodies, said Bakul founder Sujit Mahapatra.
He said the initiative highlights the environmental impact of idol immersion and encourages people to celebrate festivals in harmony with nature.