Eco-Friendly Ganesh Sthapana @GGS

A shattered tusk. The wisdom of the universe in the form of a rounded body. By his side, a tray of sweets. On the other hand, a tiny mouse. A crown on his head. An axe raised by the second arm. A third hand blessing us. This is Lord Ganesha. The vighneswar, vighnaharta the remover or obstacles. Patron of the arts and sciences. The God of knowledge. Shiva and Parvati's son. Millions of people around the world worship this Lord Ganesha. Every year, Hindus commemorate his birth with great fervour and devotion.

Yes, the annual Ganesh Chaturthi festival, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, has arrived. Every year, we at Gajera Global School, along with the rest of India, celebrate this festival. This year was no exception, as we performed the sthapana, or pedestal-raising of the idol. The people who worship this revered deity are just as complex as the people who worship him. Even his birth is surrounded by legends, which is oddly fitting for Ganesha, who is wise as an elephant, devoted as a son, and protector of his devotees.

What distinguishes our school celebrations from others is that the idol, as well as all of the decorative materials, colours, plants and the mandap, were all prepared by learners in the school. The idol and the paraphernalia were made entirely of organic and biodegradable materials.

For the past couple of years, we've been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in this manner, in keeping with our philosophy of incorporating nature into every aspect of our pedagogy, activities, and celebrations.

We hope that individual and organizational efforts can go a long way toward restoring the earth's ability to breathe and reversing some of the climate damage. We will consider ourselves successful even if only a sliver of change is visible.