A new way of celebrating eco-friendly Vinayaka Chathurthi has taken root in Puducherry, with idols of Lord Ganesha sold in pots containing seeds of plants. After the puja, they have been retained in the pots without being immersed in the sea and are being watered to grow into plants.
S Buvaneswari, 46, and her husband B Subramanian, 55, both organic farmers, who came up with the idea and sold the Vinayagar idols during the festival, felt that it would have the two-pronged benefit of saving the environment from pollution as well as promoting organic farming.
“Every year idols are immersed into the sea, leading to pollution. With this new method, sea pollution can be avoided while the plants that would sprout by nurturing the seeds inside the idol would bear vegetables as well," says Buvaneswari, who is a part-time farmer at their integrated farm on 2.5 acres of land at Silukaripalayam village near Madagadipet, near the Puducherry-Villupuram border.
The idea struck Buvaneswari a few days before the festival and she approached the traditional idol makers with her idea. They carved out the idols with seeds inside. “We have used organic seeds of various plants like beans, avarakkai, snake gourd, ridge gourd, lady’s finger and others.” Since pots and organic manure were not readily available at short notice, fibre pots and organic manure were sourced from Salem. In all, 20 such Vinayaga idols were made before the festival and put up for sale in the KVK nursery outlet at Karuvadikuppam on the East Coast Road. 17 of the 20 idols were sold.
However, the idols came at a higher price compared to regular ones. Each idol was sold at Rs 400 to Rs 450, which would otherwise cost around Rs 100 to Rs 150. Buvaneswari justified it by saying additional seeds of other plants, as well as manure, were provided along with the idol, so that people can plant seeds of other vegetables with the manure provided after one crop is over.
Besides, guidance was also provided to buyers on watering and nurturing the plants so that the seeds do not decay or dry up. People can have such plants in their kitchen garden on the terrace or in their compound and grow organic vegetables, said Buvaneswari.
It was an innovative initiative by the couple who have been into organic farming for over 10 years, cultivating paddy, groundnuts, fruits and vegetables. Next year, more such Ganesh idols will be made and sold in the market as the couple plans to procure earthen pots and make organic manure in their farmyard.
"This will also promote organic farming in little ways and we can get rid of chemicals in food products," said Buvaneswari, who is also a counsellor with the Puducherry AIDS Control Society. Stating that organic farming is still done on a low key, her husband motivates farmers to go for organic farming as well as to students of agriculture at PAJANCOA during their field visit to their farm.