Kamat Hotels (India) Ltd. Ganpatree Initiative

Every year, millions of Ganesh idols, small, large and humongous, are drowned in rivers, lakes, and seas around the world during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. As part of the ‘Visarjan’, these Ganesh idols make their way to the nearest water bodies where they are then casually submerged into the water. But they don’t dissolve immediately due to the materials used while preparing these Idols. With time, the paint and other synthetic materials on the idols peel off and start floating around in the water causing pollution. Airborne contaminants from these chemicals spread far and wide, polluting everything in close vicinity.

In order to avoid this, the concept of Ganpatree had been introduced, wherein the idol is made up of red soil, organic fertilizer and vegetable seeds. The seeds are mixed with mud to make the idol and they are also inserted into the mud pot. Organic fertilizer does not allow the seeds to dry up. On the submersion day, we don't immerse, but water It. Instead of immersing the idol into the waterbody, people can start watering the idol everyday. Due to this, the idol will start melting in the mud pot and the seed germination process will begin immediately. Ganpatree is one of the ecological approaches that The Orchid Hotel advocates and follows.

Earlier, Ganesh idols were made up of natural elements like mud, clay (banka matti) and grass husk. The idol was then adorned with natural and organic colours like turmeric. Nowadays, idols are made of non-biodegradable material’s like POP (Plaster of Paris), Polystyrene (Thermocol), and plastic, which result in environmental pollution. Using Ganesh idols made up of clay and mud for pooja is traditional. It adds spiritual and devotional value to our pooja and offerings. You can use smaller idols, and it doesn’t matter as long as our devotion is big and our faith is great. God will not appreciate polluting Mother Nature in his name either. Preferably, going for a traditional clay Ganesha is what Lord Ganesha will want all of us to do. And let us adorn him with natural and organic colours.