Kanpur sculptors craft innovative clay idols as Ganesh Chaturthi fervor peaks

Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated with great enthusiasm in Kanpur, where devotees are flocking to markets echoing with chants of "Ganpati Bappa Morya" as the festival approaches. Sculptors across the city have given Lord Ganesha's idols a unique and attractive form this year, drawing widespread attention from worshippers preparing for the auspicious occasion.

The sculptors have crafted a diverse range of idols to cater to different tastes and preferences. While some artisans are creating massive 18-feet-tall idols, others are focusing on eco-friendly alternatives made from panchgavya and grains. Several idols have been designed with innovative themes, including representations of the Char Dham caves, depictions of Lord Ganesha's childhood pastimes, and automated tableaux that have become major attractions among the people visiting the markets.

Senior sculptors in the city have issued a strong appeal to devotees, urging them to install and worship only clay idols instead of those made from Plaster of Paris (POP). The artisans are emphasizing the importance of returning to traditional practices for both religious and environmental reasons.

The sculptors explained their position, saying that clay idols are pure and align with the Sanatan tradition. According to them, idols made from clay dissolve completely in water and do not cause any harm to the environment. They revealed that they personally mix cow dung, panchgavya, and grains into the clay used for making the idols, ensuring that after immersion, the materials can serve as manure and food for aquatic life, thereby contributing positively to the ecosystem.

The artisans have expressed strong displeasure over the carelessness observed during immersion ceremonies in recent years. They pointed out that idols are often found lying in broken condition on the streets, are loaded one on top of another in trucks for transportation, and are frequently immersed in drains and sewers rather than proper water bodies.

One sculptor articulated the community's frustration, stating that this treatment constitutes an insult to Sanatan Dharma. He emphasized that sculptors spend months laboriously creating the divine form of the deity, only to see people treat the immersion as a fashion statement, dancing to DJ music and disposing of the idols in disrespectful ways. He reminded devotees that Lord Ganesha is the first deity to be worshipped and deserves respect. He stressed that immersion should be conducted with devotion and according to proper rituals, not as a show or spectacle.

The sculptors have also made a formal demand to the administration, calling for a complete ban on the immersion of POP idols in ponds and in the Ganga river. They have requested that only clay idols should be permitted for immersion, arguing that this measure would protect both faith and the environment simultaneously.