Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on the 10th of September on the occasion of Lord Ganesha’s birth anniversary. This Hindu festival brings together people across the nation with no discrimitation whatsoever. The ritual of Ganapati Visarjan is the final ritual that is held, where the idol of Lord Ganesh is submerged in water as a way of bringing the festivities to an end, until next time.

This particular ritual, as it is being completed in waterways, the pollution, toxicity , and hazardous impact that it has on the environment, has increased drastically over the last decade. The reason behind this impact is that, most idols are made from chemical based raw materials, when submerged in water, dissolve contaminating it and causing diseases. This was quickly realised, and people began moving towards more eco-friendly approaches to making the Lord Ganesha idols, with the use of clay, mitti (mud) and decorating the idol with the help of all natural resources such as flowers and leaves.

When in the design field, it is taught to every student to be more friendly towards the planet and its ways, either through their final designs, or with the materials that they choose to use. At JD Institute, the students are encouraged to keep the thread of sustainability moving forward. Every year, on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, a workshop is held, where students are guided towards designing and molding their own Lord Ganesha, using clay and water, with decorative materials such as flowers and leaves.

This year, despite the on-going pandemic, the 3C’s Outreach Program Committee hosted the ‘Lord Ganesh idol Making Workshop’, to encourage students to celebrate this festival keeping in mind the importance of sustainability in today’s day and age. This workshop was held on the 8th of September, and was open to all students, faculties and staff.

Lord Ganesha’s idol was made using clay, which was provided by the college, whereas students were requested to bring:

Newspapers
Toothpicks
One 8-10 number size flat brush
A small bowl to keep water

All the students and faculties showed great response to the event, with a total of 36 registrations. The instructor of the event was Mr. Amla, Assistant Professor of the Fashion Department, who conducted and guided the participants in creating their idols as per the designs that they had chosen. With the help of the 3C’s committee and Mr Amlan, the event was a successful one.

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated at JD Institute every year with the ideology of creating an idol of our own with sustainability as the motive. A small change can make a big impact, and when a change like this is made, for a grand celebration, the biggest difference is made.