Paper Ganesh idol is worshipped in Prasad’s IMAX theatre in Hyderabad during Ganesh Chaturthi 2009. On August 23, Vinayaka Chavithi day, Big 92.7 FM with association of IMAX has launched an initiative of eco-friendly Ganesh festival celebrations. For the making of Paper Ganapati idol, approximately 1 ton of newspaper pulp was used.

The Hindu reports:

 Lord Ganesha is going green this year with Big 92.7 FM’s idea of a paper idol of the pot-bellied elephant god. The eco-friendly idol will be made out of old newspapers for which the radio channel launched a collection drive here on Friday. Veteran journalist Potturi Venkateshwar Rao and Tollywood singer Kaushalya donated the first set of newspapers to RJ Shekhar.

Radio jockeys from the channel will travel for 12 days in a specially fashioned bus to different localities in the city collecting old newspapers from every household.

The papers will then be given to S. Kantha Reddy, an alumnus of Shantiniketan, who will design the Ganesha idol from the newspaper pulp. The paper idol will be displayed in Prasad’s IMAX on August 23, the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. Speaking to media persons, Mr. Venkateshwar Rao said, “This is the right time to try and save the lake which is older than the city itself. We are responsible for polluting the lake. Now we must help reclaim it. This is not to hurt anyone’s sentiments. The festival can be celebrated even while using eco-friendly idols made of clay and natural colours.”

World’s tallest eco-friendly Ganesh idol at Vizag in Gajuwaka for Ganesh Chaturthi 2009

Khairtabad Mammoth Ganapati vigraham – Matsya Vinayaka Ganesh idol for Ganeshotsav 2009

Ganesh immersion or Ganapati Nimajjan, also known as Vianayaka Visarjan is the culmination day of 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganapati Navaratri celebrations.  Usually, Ganesh immersion is held on Anant Chaturdashi day. In Andhra Pradesh especially Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, in Maharashtra – Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Thane are the main cities where Ganesha nimajjan is celebrated with utmost festivity. Genrally Ganesh nimajjan is performed on the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th or the 10th day of Ganesh Navratri festival.

Procession during Ganesh Immersion:

 On the day of Ganesh Visarjan, a huge procession will take out in the cities like Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad. Various cultural activites – singing, dancing and painting competitions are held during the Ganesh Navratri festival. The winners of the competitions get their prizes on the day of Ganesh immersion. In Hyderabad, Pune, Thane and Mumbai, Ganapati nimajjan is held under the tight security of the Police and several social organizations’ volunteers.

In Hyderabad, vinayak visarjan or Ganapati nimajjanam takes place at Tank Bund and Necklace Road on Hussain Sagar at some other lakes like Saroornagar and Shamirpet lakes in twin-cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Vinayaka Chavithi festival in 2009

Ganesh Navratri Festival in Maharashtra

Chovoth Festival – Ganesh Navaratri festival in Goa and Konkan regions 

Khairatabad, Hyderabad Mammoth Vinayaka – Matsya Ganesha vigraha in Khairatabad

Ganesha Patra Puja – 21 leaves to worship Lord Ganapati on Vinayaka Chavithi festival

Ganesh Patra Puja is very important step in Ganesh Chaturthi puja. 21 types of leaves are used to worship Lord Ganesha during Ganesha Chavithi festival. This pathra puja is also called as ‘Eka Vimshathi Patra Puja’. Chanting each name of the Lord, Ganesha is worshipped with each type of leaf. As per Hinduism, Rushis used leaves, barks and other tree parts as the Pooja material for Pujas.

21 Types of Leaves for Ganesh Ekavimsathi Puja – Common names and botanical names of the leaves:

1.       Machi Patra – Artemisia vulgaris

2.      Bruhathi Patra – Solanum indicum

3.      Bilva Patra – Aegle marmeolus

4.      Durva Patra – Cyanodon dactylon

5.      Kanaka Patra – Datura metal

6.      Badari Patra – Zizipus jujube

7.      Apamarga Patra – Achyranthus aspera

8.     Tulasi Patra – Ocimum sanctum

9.      Chootha Patra – Mangifera indica

10.  Karaveera Patra – Nerium indicum

11.   Vishnu krantha Patra – Convolvulus pluricaucis

12.  Daadimi Patra – Punica granatum

13.  Devdar Patra – Cedrus deodar

14.  Maruvaka Patra – Origanum majoram

15.   Sindhuvara Patra – Vitex nirgundo

16.  Sandhya pushpin Patra – Jasminum grandiflorum

17.   Gandali Patra – Latha Durva

18.  Shami Patra – Prosopis specigera

19.  Ashwatha Patra – Ficus religiosa

20. Arjuna Patra – Terminelia Arjuna

21.  Arka Patra – Calotropis Procera

In Bhavishya Purana, four more leaves are mentioned for Patra puja.

1.       Brungaraja Patra – Eclipta alba

2.      Mala Patra

3.      Ketaki Patra – Pandanus Odoratissimus

4. Agasthya Patra – Sesbania grandifolia  

Eco-friendly Ganesha Jatha is an initiative taken up in Bangalore by students of MES College along with Quality Council of India and National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning in India. The date of Eo-friendly Ganesha Jatha is August 16 in 2009.

As a part of Eco-friendly Ganesha Jatha, students will urge to install or worship non-chemical or chemical-free idols. Students will aware people and the society that chemical idols harm the environment. The college students will begin a yatra in Bangalore on August 16. They will also sell hand-made, eco-friendly idols from August 20.

To save the environment from this environmental burden, every city and town has to take up the initiative of eco-friendly Ganesh idols.

Courtesy: TOI & The Hindu

Ganesha Habba in 2009 

Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Maharashtra is an important and most celebrated occasion. In 2009, the date of Ganesh Chaturthi festival is August 23. Lord Ganesh is worshipped with utmost devotion in the state of Maharashtra. Throughout Maharashtra, right from the small village to city like Mumbai, celebrates Ganesh Navratri with great importance.

In Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Solapur Ganesh festival is a jubilant event. In Maharashtra, Ganapati idol is placed in Ganesh Pandal or mandaps and worshipped for ten days. Starting from Ganesh Chavithi, till the day of Anant Chaturdashi, Ganesh Navratri is celebrated. On Anant Chaturdashi day, Ganesh Nimajjan or Vinayaka Visarjan is commenced.

In every household and pandals, Ganesh utsav is started with installation of Ganesh idol on Ganesh Chavithi. The pujas and celebrations are continued till the tenth day i.e. Anant Chaturdashi, and on Anant Chaturdashi day, devotees take out the idols for procession and nimajjan or immersion is commenced, amidst chanting the slogan ‘Ganapati Bappa Moriya’.