Ganesh Chaturthi goes green with papier mache idol

CHANDIGARH: With only five days to go for Ganesh Chaturthi, the stage is set for grand celebrations. The 2.5 foot idol to be kept in the Maharashtra Bhawan “pandal” in Sector 19-D has already arrived from Pune along with artificial decorations made of thermocol. Besides, hundreds of idols, in different sizes and colours, which devotees will carry home are getting a final touch-up from Bengali artists at the Kalibari temple. There are idols with Lord Ganesha seated on a lotus, reclining on a couch or resting on a leaf.

Keeping their promise of making it a green festival, city-based Maharashtrians have brought an idol made up of papier mache instead of plaster of Paris. “This year it will be a five-day celebration at the Maharashtra Bhawan, wherein the main highlight would be the “anand mela,” which will be the food festival. A variety of Maharashtrian food items will be on offer at the fest,” informed Madhav Bhaskar Sane, president of Sarvajanik Ganeshotsava Samiti Maharashtra Mandal.

Some of the traditional Marathi dishes including “shrikhand,” “puran poli,” “modak” and “ukdi che modak” will be on offer. Punjabi food too will be available at the food stalls. The festival will also see competitions for women and children like on-the-spot vegetable jewellery competition, cooking sweet and salty dishes eaten on the day of fasting, gift-wrapping, and thumb-printing. The contributory dinner will be served after various programmes everyday.
The “puja” on the occasion would be held at the Kalibari temple and the Maharashtra Bhawan, at 9am and 7am respectively.