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Arjun Kapoor on the relevance of celebrating Ganpati, the ecologically sound way
As told to Upala KBR (DNA; September 17, 2015)

Ganeshotsav has always been a special festival in our family. We have been having Ganpati at our mom’s studio for years as she was very fond of the festival. Now, my maasi and naani continue the tradition. It is also celebrated at Anil chachu’s home, so the festival is celebrated with great love in two houses in my family and is embedded in our system. This year, though, I won’t be there as I am shooting in Delhi for Ki And Ka.

We all have wonderful memories associated with Ganpati. As a child, we would look forward to that half-day off we would get from school. That was an upside, apart from the best sweets that we would get. Gifts aur mithai ke dabbe baanaye jaate the and they would get gobbled up by us as kids.

One thing I will never forget are the delicious motichoor laddoos we got. I would never let go of an opportunity to have those. Our rituals were simple with morning and evening aarti.

Another unforgettable memory is the indescribable moment of peace during those moments. A certain energy at the pandal or someone’s home which draws us towards the idol… I can never forget… After the ups and downs of the day, when you reach the pandal all the stress goes away leaving you with a feeling of calmness. It’s the divine power, whichever way you interpret it.

I advocate the use of environmentally safe Ganesh idols 200 per cent! It’s a very big factor in aiding our future for a better society. Some people feel, ek ke karne se kya hoga? I urge people to do it because that’s what makes the difference. If each person starts slowly with positivity, rituals and 100 per cent dedication, it would contribute to the larger benefit for all. Even our Gods would expect us to be kind towards nature.

The least we can do is try and curb the problem. Eco-friendly Ganeshas are also dissolvable, so many people often do visarjan at home which I think is an amazing option to have. It prevents noise and seawater getting polluted and lessens the chaos and noise on the road. It’s great for people who live far away from water bodies and thus, is a very feasible option to have. No God would expect you to cause harm to others in order to fulfill rituals.

I have been the brand ambassador for WWF (World Wildlife Fund) India for two years now and it’s been an added bonus — I have gained knowledge in guiding people the right way. We can understand how much we can help protect the environment by being eco-friendly in the next 10 days of Ganpati.
I think dna’s eco-Ganesha initiative is a great amalgamation of celebrating a festival and a subtle reminder to preserve our ecosystem. It’s a nice nudge in the right direction.