Being environmentally friendly is a core part of me. Shadumati Ganpati idol thus attracted me to save the environment. I started making shadumati Ganpati since 2009. I was not any sculpturist and I never knew how to make shadumati idols. To learn that and spread awareness amongst people, we had conducted a workshop at 'Rathi Amrai' on how to make shadumati Ganpati in which Shreyas Garge had demonstrated the process in a very easy to understand method. And since 2009, 12 years now, I never bought Ganesha idol from outside and made it at home with shadumati and conducted its workshops for almost 8 years.
Slowly the skills of creating an idol improved and below you can see the difference in the first idol that I made and the recent ones. But more than the skill set, it was the deep connection with the divine energies and the spiritual connection which made a difference in my life. And somewhere my life experiences converted me from a Atheist to a God believer.
These are some of the shadumati ganesha idols from 2009 to date and we can see the difference in the idols. Idols are not just mere a physical entity. It's more about the higher aspect which is not visible. It's about energy.
Shadumati Ganesha idol in 2009/ Shadumati Ganesha idol in 2010:
Shadumati Ganesha idol during the recent years:
The making of shadumati Ganesha is not just a money saving project but it can be the biggest project that our school children can ever do, if we create right opportunities and create and direct to the right path.
I was a professor in architecture college and an HOD for 9 years. Being the HOD I had some rights too. There I started conducting shadumati ganesha workshops. The below photo is the workshop we had in college in 2010.
Then during the later years, I was allotted to teach the subject 'basic design' and during this time I conducted the workshop on how to be creative, how to make Ganesh idol and any idol. We can make any sculpture if we just understand the proportions and if we can make the basic shapes like sphere, cube, cone and Pyramids. It's all basically about proportion. And during the process we get to learn the material pros and cons too. What's most important is the creation, and connection with divinity.
During the workshop on how to be creative through Shadumati Ganesha idol making
Exhibition of Shadumati Ganesha made by students
Ganesha idol from the basic forms
If we can just be creative in the right direction, it's enough in life. With just that one thing 'creativity in the right direction', our life can be meaningful and we can get everything. We would explore and talk more on that later, if that surprises you. Be connected to know more.
And this year's Ganesha idol is in the process and will be revealed soon.
Now let's come to the Environment part of shadumati.
We are aware about the enormous harmful effect the POP material has on our environment. We also know that even shadumati Ganesh idol when immersed in rivers, creates a layer on the bottom surface and harms the marine life in water bodies.
Thus, we have come up with a creative method. Since past few years, we immerse the ganesha idol in a drum at home and keep reusing the same shadumati every year. So it's recycled. It save our environment. The cost is literally zero. I store in the drum which is used as a stool and no space is gone. And what's more? This shadumati has been worshipped and it has the energies too.
We extend this to people around us. Every year you can come and take shadumati for free and you can come and immerse (do visarjan) of shadumati Ganpati here at 'ME Holistic Centre'.
We can also be more creative and as per our resources and our skills, think of making Ganesha idol of chocolate, metal, different types of mud, wood, paper mache, grass, cloth añd utensils too.
How to make Ganesha idol with shadumati :
There is geometry iñ nature, there is geometry everywhere n so it is in Ganeshji idol. Look at the Ganeshji idol from point òf view of geometry and we find that that head can be a sphere plus a cylinder ta make trunk. The stomach is big spehere. Thr chest is 2 sphere. Hands and legs are two tapering cylinders as seen in the following fìgure:
Now connect the parts and fill up the gaps. The shadumati is sticky and easily sticks together. However it can't take cañtilivers and choose the Ganesha idol design likewise.
Sky is the limit.
Our belief and emotions are all that matters.
Let's remember.
It's about environment
It's about creativity.
It's all about energy.
Ganpati bappa morya.
-Manjushree Rathi
Director, ME Holistic Centre