Indian Deities: February 2013

28 February, 2013

The Environmental Impact of Ganesh Chaturthi

To be able to choose the most appropriate ecosensitive solution it is important that we understand the environmental impacts of Ganesh Chaturthi.

These can be summarised to be the following:

The water pollution caused by the immersion of Plaster of Paris idols into natural water bodies.
The water pollution caused by chemical paints used on these idols.
The waste generated by the non biodegradable accessories used during the worship.
Noise pollution
Traffic congestion
Increased consumerism

Amongst these the first two can be partially resolved by a shift to eco sensitive materials and practices.

Water Pollution:

The Issue

For some years now we have been observing a growing awareness about the water pollution caused by the immersion of Ganesh idols made out of Plaster of Paris, in natural water bodies such as lakes, rivers and the sea. PoP is not a naturally occurring material. Plaster of Paris is a calcium sulfate hemi-hydrate : (CaSO4, ½ H2O) derived from gypsum, a calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4 , 2 H2O), by firing this mineral at relatively low temperature and then reducing it to powder. While idols made out of naturally occurring clay ( shaadu in Marathi) dissolve within hours of immersion in water, PoP idols may take anywhere between several months to years to fully dissolve. In addition, when chemical paints are used to decorate the idols, these paints contain heavy metals such as mercury and lead, which seep into the water as the idol dissolves.

In Bangalore a study done by the Central Pollution Control Board to assess the impact of immersion of Ganesh idols on the lakes revealed the following:

The acid content in the waters increased.
The TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) increased by a 100%
The Dissolved Oxygen content increased during the day due to the agitation of waters during immersion and reduced at night when organic discharge increased.
The heavy metal content sampling showed an increase in metals such as iron which increased nearly 10 times and the content of copper in the sediments increased by 200 to 300 %.

Possible solutions:

Since the main issue around water pollution has got to do with the idol immersion ritual, several people are now suggesting a slight variation of this ritual to avoid water pollution. These include:

1. Immersing the idol in a water tan constructed by the government, instead of directly into natural water bodies.

2. Using only a natural clay idol and immersing it either in the tank or in a bucket of water at home.

3. Immersing a 'betel nut' which symbolises the idol and reusing the same idol every year.

4. If one is using a PoP idol, simply sprinkling a few drops of water on it as a symbolic immersion and donating the idol to be recycled for the following year.

Appropriate Management of 'nirmalya':

Along with the idol, there are several accessories used during the worship which are collectively referred to as 'nirmalya'. These include flowers, fruits, coconuts, cloth, incense, camphor etc. Further, many people create elaborate temples out of thermocole to houwe their idols. Until some years ago, all these were also immersed along with the idols.

In Pune, the municipal corporation has successfully convinced people not to immerse the 'nirmalya' into the water. Instead, they have installed large bins shaped as traditional pots or 'kalashes' to recieve this nirmalya. While this is a good first step, the appropriate management of the nirmalya is still crucial considering the volumes that are collected every year.

This is a sensitive issue since it involves the sentiments of the worshippers.

Possible solutions:

1. Avoiding the use of non biodegradable material such as thermocole altogether.

2. Composting all bio degradable material.

3. Distributing food itmes such as coconuts and fruits among the poor.

4. Recycling flowers to make hand made paper or dried flower products.

To read more on the above issues visit the following links:

See photographs of the ecological impact of the festival by Sunjoy Monga.
Read a report on the environmental impact of the festival on Husseinsagar lake, M Vikram Reddy and A Vijaykumar
See photographs of the beaches in Mumbai the day after the visarjan, Manish Vij, Ultra Brown

गणेश चतुर्थी के प्राकृतिक प्रभाव

प्रकृति के बचाव के लिए सबसे उपयुक्त तरीकों को ढूंढने के लिए, यह आवश्यक है की, हम गणेश चतुर्थी के प्राकृतिक प्रभावों को ठीक तरह से समझे |
इन प्रभावों को निम्न बिन्दुओं के अंतर्गत समझा जा सकता है :-

• सबसे ज्यादा जल प्रदुषण, प्लास्टर ऑफ़ पेरिस से बनी मूर्तियों के विसर्जन से होता है |
• इन मूर्तियों में प्रयुक्त हुए रासायनिक रंगों से भी, जल प्रदुषण ज्यादा होता है |
• पूजा के दौरान हुआ ऐसा कचरा, जिसकी रीसाइकलिंग नही की जा सकती है, उससे भी जल प्रदुषण अधिक मात्रा में होता है |
• ध्वनि प्रदुषण |
• बढ़ते हुए उपभोक्ता |

जल प्रदुषण मुद्दा
पिछले कुछ सालो से, ये बात प्रकाश में आई है की, जल प्रदुषण सबसे ज्यादा प्लास्टर ऑफ़ पेरिस (पी.ओ.पी.) की बनी मूर्तियों (गणेश, दुर्गा) के विसर्जन से होता है | ये सभी मूर्तियाँ, झीलों, नदियों एवं समुद्रों में बहाई जाती है, जिससे जलीय वातावरण में समस्या सामने आती है | पी.ओ.पी. ऐसा पदार्थ है जो कभी समाप्त नही होता है, इससे वातावरण में प्रदुषण की मात्रा के बढ़ने की सम्भावना बहुत अधिक है | प्लास्टर ऑफ़ पेरिस, कैल्सियम सल्फेट हेमी हाइड्रेट (CaSO4, 1/2 H2O) होता है, जो की जिप्सम (कैल्सियम सल्फेट डीहाइड्रेट) से बनता है | जबकि ईको फ्रेंडली मूर्तियाँ चिकनी मिट्टी से बनती हैं, जिन्हें विसर्जित करने पर वे आसानी से पानी में घूल जाती हैं | लेकिन जब इन्ही मूर्तियों को रासायनिक रंगों (भारी रासायनिक पदार्थों से मिलकर तैयार) से रंगा जाता है और फिर जब इन्हें विसर्जित किया जाता है, तो ये रंग पानी में घुलते है जो की जल प्रदुषण को बढ़ाते हैं |

मूर्तियों द्वारा होने वाले जल प्रदुषण के ऊपर बंगलुरु में किये गए अध्ययन से यहाँ पता चला है की:-
• पानी में उपलब्ध, अम्ल के प्रतिशत बढ़ रहे हैं |
• टोटल डिसौल्व सोलिड 100% तक बढ़ चुका है |
• मूर्तियों के विसर्जन के मौसम में, दिन में पानी में उपलब्ध आक्सीजन की मात्रा बढ़ जाती है और रात में घट जाती है |

संभावित हल

चुकी मूर्ति विसर्जन, हमारी श्रद्धा, आस्था और भावनाओं से जुड़ा है, इसलिए अब लोग इसके लिए कुछ सुझाव दे रहे हैं:-
1. सीधे झील, नदी या समुद्र में मूर्तियों का विसर्जन करने से अच्छा है की, हम उन्हें सरकार द्वारा बनाये गए बड़े - बड़े पानी की टंकियों में प्रवाह करे |
2. मूर्तियों को प्राकृतिक सामग्रियों से तैयार किया जाए |
3. यदि संभव हो तो, मूर्तियों का उपयोग दुबारा किया जाये |
4. यदि कोई व्यक्ति, पी.ओ.पी सामग्रियों का प्रयोग कर रहा है तो, उसे पानी में प्रवाह करने की बजाय, उस पर पानी की 2 - 4 बुँदे सांकेतिक तौर पर प्रवाह के रूप में डाली जायें | इससे किसी की भावना को भी ठेस नही पहुचेगा और वातावरण भी सुरक्षित रहेगा |
पूजा के फूलों का उचित प्रबंधन:-

नदियों में मूर्तियों के साथ अन्य कई सामग्रियां (फल, फूल, अगरबत्ती एवं पूजा के कपड़े) भी प्रवाहित किये जाते है | आजकल लोग थर्माकोल से बने मंदिर भी जल में प्रवाहित करते हैं |
पूना में, नगर निगम ने लोगों को ये समझाने की सफल कोशिश की है की, वो ये पदार्थ नदी या अन्य जगहों पर प्रवाहित न करें | इन सभी पदार्थों को प्रवाहित करने की बजाय कलश में रखें |
संभावित हल
1. नॉन बायोडीग्रेबल चीजों का प्रयोग न करे |
2. सभी बायोडीग्रेबल चीजों को कम्पोस्ट करें |
3. फलों को प्रवाहित करने के बजाय उन्हें गरीबों में दान करें |
4. फूलों को रीसायकल करके, उससे हस्त निर्मित कागज एवं अन्य उत्पाद बनाएं |

Ganesha MP3 Downloads - Hindu Devotional Chants, Songs & Bhajans

Here are some of the best free MP3 downloads dedicated to the popular Hindu deity Ganesha. The links include aartis or hymns, bhajans or devotional songs and mantra or prayer chants.

Click on the titles to download the MP3 files. You need an MP3 Player (Windows Media Player / WinAmp / QuickTime) to listen to these devotional songs.

Ganesha Aarti - Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh

The most popular Ganesha Aarti or hymn - "Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh Deva" - sung by Mahendra Kapoor and chorus.

Ganesha Aarti - Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh (Duet)

"Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh Deva" - the most popular Ganesha Aarti or hymn - sung in tandem by a female and a male singer along with chorus.

Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh - Text & Audio

Read the full text (Hindi) and translation (English), and listen to the Real Audio streaming of the popular hymn - "Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh"!

Sukh Karta Dukh Harta - Ganesha Bhajan

Another famous Ganesha Bhajan - “Sukh Karta Dukh Harta” - sung by the legendary Lata Mangeshkar. (Rapidshare download)

Om Gan Ganpatey Namoha Namha - Ganesha Bhajan

Another Rapidshare download link of a popular Ganesha Bhajan - Om Gan Ganpatey Namoha Namha!

Shri Ganesha, Jaya Ganesha

MP3 download (4 MB) of the Ganesha hymn - "Shri Ganesha Jaya Ganesha" (4:12 min) sung by the members of Sri Sathya Sai Baba community.

Ganesha Pancharatnam - Hymn

Beautiful 'Pancharatnam' hymn sung by a temple priest accompanied by lively music.

Ganapati Prarthana - Ganesha Prayer

Ganesha prayer - Ganapati Prarthana - chanted by the Sai Lingam Center

Vakratunda Mahakaye - Mantra Chant

Vakratunda Mahakaye is the most important and popular Ganesha mantra chanted for success. MP3 version chanted by Trupti.

Ganesha Bhajans Album by Music Today

This album entitled - "The Best of Ganesha Bhajans" by Music Today includes artistes such as Rajan & Sajan Mishra, Shruti Sadolikar, Ashwini Bhide and Veena Sahasrabuddhe. Download requires registration with emusic.com.

Where to See Mumbai Ganesh Idols Being Made

The Making of Mumbai Ganesh Idols

Ganesh idols ready to be painted.

The colorful Mumbai Ganesh idols, which are displayed all over the city during the annual Ganesh Chaturthi festival, are an awe-inspiring sight. It's natural to wonder about how they're made and the amount of work that's gone into creating them. If you're interested in finding out, it's possible to see the statues being crafted. Where and how depends on how much time you have available.

Idol making is big business. The skill is handed down from generation to generation, plus many migrants also come to Mumbai to help in the labor intensive process. It gets underway around three months before the festival takes place.

If You Have A Day or Two

Head to the village of Pen, two hours south of Mumbai. It is there that the majority of Ganesh idols are crafted. The idol making industry in Pen is huge, with most people from the village involved in process. But, just how huge is huge? The figures are impressive. Around 500 units produce 600,000-700,000 Ganesh statues a year, with a turnover of nearly 6 crore rupees. More than a quarter of the statues are exported. The rest are sold in India, but for a premium -- everyone wants an idol made in Pen!

You'll discover that idol making in Pen has an interesting history. The villagers have always been artistic. Originally, they were adept at making items such as idols out of paper, and stuffed parrots. When the Ganesh festival went from being a private to a community event in the 1890s, some of Pen's artisans shifted their skills to making clay idols for the festival. They were sold locally under a barter system for a few kilos of rice, but there was no money in it. Of course, that's not the case these days!

A Ganesh Idol Museum and Information Center has been set up in Pen for tourists to learn more. It's open from 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m., except on bank holidays.

How to Get There: Pen lies on the NH-17 Mumbai to Goa highway. It can also be reached by train from Mumbai. Not many long distance trains stop there. However, it's possible to catch a local service, such as the Ratnagiri Passenger train from Dadar in central Mumbai (this train only has a mid afternoon departure though).

Since Pen is on the way to the popular beach location of Alibaug, you could combine your trip with a getaway there, or to quieter Kashid beach further south. It won't be beach weather due to the monsoon, but you'll still be able to relax! Otherwise, there are a few decent enough hotels in Pen, such as the Hotel Marquis Manthan.

If You Have a Few Hours

Take a walk around the lanes of Parel, Chinchpokli, and Lalbaug in central Mumbai. You'll find workshops, big and small, everywhere. The most famous workshop is that of Vijay Khatu, in Parel.

How to Get There: The Mumbai local train is the quickest and easiest way. You can start by getting off at Chinchpokli and heading right up Sane Guruji Road towards Ganesh Talkies and the Lalbaug Flyover. Alternatively, if you'd prefer to take a tour, Beyond Bombay offers guided walks through the lanes of Lalbaug.

Mumbai Ganesh Festival Guide

Guide to Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai

Procession on Ganesh visarjan (immersion) day in Mumbai.

The Mumbai Ganesh festival is one of the biggest celebrations in the city. If you want to experience in Indian festival on a grand scale, this is it! It's a giant street party with a special spiritual meaning. How did Ganesh Chaturthi become so popular in Mumbai though?

History indicates that the famed Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja introduced Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations to the state to promote culture and nationalism. However, it was freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak that transformed it into an organized public event in 1893. His reasons for doing so were to bridge the gap between the castes, and build unity against British colonial rule. Lord Ganesh, as the much loved remover of obstacles and god for everybody, served this purpose.

The tradition has carried on, and nowadays there's great competition amongst local communities to put on the biggest and best display.

These 5 famous Mumbai Ganesh mandals are amongst the most popular in the city. However, there are plenty of other well known ones that are worth visiting. Some of them, in south Mumbai, are:

Ichhapurti Ganesh Mandal, near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in the Fort district.
Fort Vibhag Ganesh Utsav Mandal, opposite the GPO in the Fort district.
Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, near the east side of Chinchpokli railway station on the Central line.
Rangari Badak Chawl Mandal, near the east side of Chinchpokli railway station on the Central line.
Kamatchawl Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, Opposite Zaoba Ram Mandir, Thakurdwar Naka, Thakurdwar. (This one is one of the oldest Ganesh mandals in Mumbai).
Akhil, Anjeerwadi Mandal, located at Dr. Mascarenhas Road, Mazgaon.

Don't be concerned that you might not be able to find the festival. There are statues in streets all over the city. In fact, it's hard not to come across a display of Lord Ganesh!

If you're in Mumbai up to three months before the festival, you can see the Ganesh statues being made.

Where and When to See the Immersions (Visarjan)

The festival ends with the parading and immersion of the statues into a body of water, usually the ocean in Mumbai. Find out more about how Ganesh Chatuthi is celebrated.

108 Names of Ganesha

Sanskrit Names of the Hindu God with Meanings.

Lord Ganesha is known by many names. There exists 108 different names of Ganesha in the Hindu scriptures. Many of these are suitable for baby names - for both boys and girls. The following are these various Sanskrit names of Ganesha with their meaning.

Akhuratha: One whose chariot is pulled by a mouse
Alampata: One who is forever eternal
Amit: One who is incomparable
Anantachidrupamayam: One who is the personification of the infinite consciousness
Avaneesh: Master of the universe
Avighna: The remover of obstacles
Balaganapati: Beloved child
Bhalchandra: One who is moon crested
Bheema: One who is gigantic
Bhupati: The lord of lords
Bhuvanpati: The lord of the heaven
Buddhinath: The God of wisdom
Buddhipriya: One who bestows of knowledge and intellect
Buddhividhata: The God of knowledge
Chaturbhuj: The four-armed lord
Devadeva: The lord of lords
Devantakanashakarin: Destroyer of evils and demons
Devavrata: One who accepts all penances
Devendrashika: The protector of all gods
Dharmik: One who is righteous and charitable
Dhoomravarna: One whose skin is smoke-hued
Durja: The invincible
Dvaimatura: One who has two mothers
Ekaakshara: One who is of a single syllable
Ekadanta: Single-tusked
Ekadrishta: Single-focused
Eshanputra: The son of Shiva
Gadadhara: One whose weapon is the mace
Gajakarna: One who has elephantine-ears
Gajanana: One who has an elephantine face
Gajananeti: One who has the looks of an elephant
Gajavakra: The trunk of an elephant
Gajavaktra: One who has an elephantine mouth
Ganadhakshya: The lord of lords
Ganadhyakshina: Leader of all celestial bodies
Ganapati: The lord of lords
Gaurisuta: The son of Gauri
Gunina: The lord of virtues
Haridra: One who is golden-hued
Heramba: Mother's beloved son
Kapila: One who is yellowish-brown
Kaveesha: The lord of poets
Kirti: The lord of music
Kripalu: Merciful lord
Krishapingaksha: One who has yellowish-brown eyes
Kshamakaram: The abode of forgiveness
Kshipra: One who is easy to appease
Lambakarna: One who has large ears
Lambodara: One who has a big belly
Mahabala: One who is enormously strong
Mahaganapati: The Supreme Lord
Maheshwaram: Lord of the universe
Mangalamurti: The all auspicious Lord
Manomay: The winner of hearts
Mrityuanjaya: The conqueror of death
Mundakarama: The abode of happiness
Muktidaya: Bestower of eternal bliss
Musikvahana: One who rides a mouse
Nadapratithishta: One who appreciates music
Namasthetu: Destroyer of evils and sins
Nandana: Lord Shiva's son
Nideeshwaram: Bestower of wealth
Omkara: One who has the form of 'Om'
Pitambara: One who has yellowish skin
Pramoda: Lord of all abodes
Prathameshwara: First among all Gods
Purush: The omnipotent personality
Rakta: One who is blood-hued
Rudrapriya: One who is the beloved of Shiva
Sarvadevatman: One who accepts all celestial offerings
Sarvasiddhanta: Bestower of skills and knowledge
Sarvatman: Protector of the universe
Shambhavi: Son of Parvati
Shashivarnam: One who has a moon-like complexion
Shoorpakarna: One who is large-eared
Shuban: The all auspicious Lord
Shubhagunakanan One who is The Master of All Virtues
Shweta: One who is as pure as the white
Siddhidhata: Bestower of accomplishments and successes
Siddhipriya: Giver of wishes and boons
Siddhivinayaka: Bestower of success
Skandapurvaja: Elder of Skanda or Kartikya
Sumukha: One who has an auspicious face
Sureshwaram: The lord of lords
Swaroop: Lover of beauty
Tarun: One who is ageless
Uddanda: The nemesis of evils and vices
Umaputra: The son of Goddess Uma
Vakratunda: One with a curved trunk
Varaganapati: Bestower of boons
Varaprada: One who grants wishes
Varadavinayaka: Bestower of success
Veeraganapati: The vigorous lord
Vidyavaridhi: The God of wisdom
Vighnahara: Remover of obstacles
Vignaharta: Destroyer of all obstacles
Vighnaraja: Lord of all obstacles
Vighnarajendra: Lord of all obstacles
Vighnavinashanaya: Destroyer of all obstacles
Vigneshwara: Lord of all obstacles
Vikat: One who is huge
Vinayaka: The Supreme Lord
Vishwamukha: Master of the universe
Vishwaraja: King of the world
Yagnakaya: One who accepts sacrificial offerings
Yashaskaram: The bestower of fame and fortune
Yashvasin: The beloved and ever popular lord
Yogadhipa: The lord of meditation