Mumbai: Two computer mice for eyes, two office carry bags for ears, paint brushes for the trunk, and a few balls for a necklace: This year the theme for the eco-friendly Ganpati at Shree Niwas Ganesh Utsav Society in Mulund is ‘celebrating men’, while sticking to eco-Ganpati
“After celebrating women and womanhood, we thought of celebrating the role of a man and what makes him one. We have put up a decoration that lists all the jobs a man does,” said Kalpesh Lodaya, who helps with Ganpati celebrations at his society in Zaver Road, Mulund. These include a labourer, painter, computer engineer, sweeper, sportsman, and milkman, among other things
"Wanted to showcase sacrifices man makes for his family and society"
Lodaya’s society makes it a point to have eco-friendly celebrations. “Women and men complement each other. One is the rock of the family, and they make the man. We wanted to recognise and show the sacrifices the man makes for his family and society,” said Lodaya.
“While men are fathers, brothers, husbands and sons at home, they also work. They can be corporate workers, milkmen, labourers, musicians, sportsmen, businessmen, engineers, sweepers and master chefs. We decided to make an eco-friendly Ganpati out of the products that they use for work,” said Lodaya.
The society shortlisted around 31 items of which over 20 were used. They chose cutlery, milk cans, sports gear, gardening and painting tools, tiffin, slate, newspaper, and broomstick, etc. “Each of these signify the work they do in their life to sustain themselves and their families. Most of the items were loaned from fellow society members. After the Ganpati festival, these will be dismantled, returned and reused, causing zero pollution,” added Lodaya.
