Tiruchi, September 12, 2013: For B. Venkataramani and his wife Kamala, Ganesh Chaturthi is not only the time for revelry, but also a time for creating awareness about protecting the environment.

A native of Tiruchi, Dr. Venkataramani worked in Mumbai but returned to the city with his family in 2007 after retirement.

From the day they got married in 1978; the couple has religiously adopted and promoted eco-friendly practices in every walk of life, especially while celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. Every year, Dr. Venkataramani fashions boats, mandaps, lotus ponds, and other objects, entirely out of waste products at home. Ganesha idols are then placed on these objects during the festival.

The waste products range from used paper, one side printed paper, paper cups, old wedding invitations, used cardboard, and stamp paper among others.

The couple has an amazing collection of Ganesha idols which they display during the festival.

The one that stands out is a large idol made of panchaloha. The couple immerses this idol in a bucket of water during the end of the festival every year, in order to avoid polluting the water bodies. The same idol is reused the following year.

“My husband and I share an interest in conserving nature and we decided to do our part by adopting eco friendly practices in our life and teaching the same to our children and neighbours. By doing so, we hope people realize the importance of protecting the environment,” said Ms. Kamala Venkataramani.

The couple’s daughter Prabhadevi also shares their passion for eco-friendly practices and has artistically prepared Ganesha images and shapes by pasting used bus and train tickets on cardboard.

Ms. Kamala stores broken earrings, empty matchboxes, chamkis that have peeled off from clothes, gift wraps from old gifts, decorative paper, shoe boxes, old soap boxes, plastic covers and all kinds of waste.

She uses them to create sturdy frames and decorations for her daughter’s artwork. The couple also run Barn Owls Nature Club, through which they teach children about nature and its beauty.

“Change will take place only if each individual does their bit to protect and conserve the environment. They need to think globally and act locally.

The need for reusing and recycling items should be inculcated in the early days of a child’s life.

Then he/she will grow up to be a responsible and eco friendly citizen,” said Mr. Venkataramani.

Source: The Hindu, September 12, 2013