Author: Our Staff Correspondent
Publication: The Hindu
Date: August 31, 2003
URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/08/31/stories/2003083106290300.htm
The changing social ethos has cast
its influence on religion, and this is reflected in the Ganesha festivities
being observed in the city.
Growing concern over environmental
issues has forced the authorities to ban immersion of Ganesha idols in
the major lakes in Mysore, including Karanji, Kukkarahalli, and Lingambudhi.
While the Mysore City Corporation has issued a notification in this regard,
the Mysore Zoo has banned entry of devotees into the Karanji Lake which
is being restored. The lake is now swarming with birds.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Appropriate
Rural Technologies (CART) has launched a movement to make Ganesha festivities
more environment-friendly as part of its "Clean Mysore" drive. The focus
is on the immersion part of the festivities which bodes ill for the water
bodies.
The CART has appealed to the people
to make use of clay idols devoid of paints that have chemicals in them.
Once immersed, the paint contaminates water and endangers the lives of
scores of species that live in the lakes. The CART also mooted the idea
of carrying out immersion of idols in houses using a bucket or in a small
tank. The idea is to make the devotees realise the folly of immersing idols
in sewage after worshipping them, while trying to minimise further pollution
of the water bodies.
The stress on the use of earthen
or clay idols embellished by vegetable dyes is a symbolic way of displaying
environment-friendliness in religion. The CART has joined hands with a
few local schools to create awareness on making festivals environment-friendly.
Meanwhile, changing times have affected
artists who eke out a living by making Ganesha idols. There are nearly
120 families engaged in making idols at Kumbarageri. For many, making idols
is an art imbibed since childhood and practised since many generations.
Likewise, there are 30 families at Halladakeri who have been clay artists
for decades.
These families were earlier patronised
by the royal family, and were engaged throughout the year for making special
dolls for Dasara. But with the dilution of the influence of the royal family,
they faded into oblivion. But Ganesha Chaturti brings them out of their
anonymity at least for a few weeks during the festival season.
However, another emerging trend
among a section of society has put a question mark on the future of clay
artists.
The growing threat is from what
is popularly called "Bombay-style Ganeshas'' or "Designer Ganeshas''. The
idols are massive in size and each idol reflects a current event or a theme
that is socially relevant. Like idols modelled after cricketers, politicians
or Ganesha projected as taking on modern evils such as terrorism.
Though clay artists from Kumbarakeri
and Halldakeri have a natural trait to churn out clay idols of Ganesha,
the new generation is also seeking an alternative profession.
But many aver they will not give
up idol making. For business is assured so long as Ganesha Chaturthi is
celebrated.
