Ganesh Chaturthi is an amazing festival that brings immense emotion and devotion for devotees of Lord Ganesh. The selection of the idol starts almost three months in advance. Devotees’ homes are cleaned before Lord Ganesh’s arrival. Family and friends are invited over and treated to delicious food and prasad after taking His blessings. I fondly remember the pedas and white sugar flower balls we would receive after a darshan of our neighbours’ Ganapati when we were small.

There are many ways we can welcome Lord Ganesh into our homes in a more sustainable way. Thus we respect His mother as well. I always ask devotees: who do they think Lord Ganesh will bless more — someone who respects His mother or someone who abuses her?

Almost 3,00,000 devotees in Mumbai bring Lord Ganesh home and many of them still go for Plaster of Paris (POP) idols. The harmful effects caused by the immersion of POP idols at the end of the festival are unimaginable.

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