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Eco-Idols: Durga Puja Goes Green with Painted Art
12 Oct
Summary
- Idols now feature painted sarees, jewelry, and weapons on clay.
- Natural colors are used for eco-friendly immersion.
- This sustainable approach increases idol cost by 40%.
Durga Puja celebrations are adopting a significant eco-friendly shift. Artisans are now decorating goddess Durga idols with painted sarees, jewelry, and weapons directly onto the clay figures, foregoing traditional materials. This method uses natural colors, ensuring that the idols can be immersed more easily without polluting water bodies or leaving behind non-biodegradable waste.
This sustainable practice, spearheaded by artisans from West Bengal, is gaining traction in prominent 'barwaris.' The process involves meticulously painting the goddess's adornments onto the clay, creating an illusion of elaborate costumes and ornaments. While this innovation comes at an estimated 40% higher cost, organizers are embracing it to mitigate the environmental footprint of the festival's immersion rituals.