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Beyond PoP: Choosing an eco-friendly Ganesha idol this Ganesh Chaturthi
Seed Ganeshas, clay, maida and paper mâché are giving devotees more choices this year. But does an eco-friendly material automatically make an idol sustainable?
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With Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations just a day away, the shift towards eco-friendly celebrations is gathering pace. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also recently participated in an eco-friendly Ganesha idol-making workshop in Navi Mumbai, where over 10,000 students set a Guinness World Record by crafting idols from natural Shadu clay.
Actor Vijay Deverakonda welcomed a seed Ganesha and urged fans via a video to choose natural clay idols. He joined actors like Pooja Hegde and Chiranjeevi, who received the seed Ganesha from the Green India Challenge, a citizen-led environmental movement founded by former Rajya Sabha MP Joginipally Santosh Kumar.
The seed Ganesha idols are made from natural clay, cocopeat and coconut fibre, and embedded with seeds of native trees such as neem and tamarind. Instead of a traditional water-body visarjan, the idol can be dissolved at home in a pot of soil, allowing the seeds to germinate and grow into plants.
The move comes as interest in eco-friendly celebrations grows. Google searches for “eco-friendly Ganpati” in India rose 120% over the past week. #ecofriendlyganpati has clocked 71.9K Instagram posts and Reels.
What actually happens to PoP idols after visarjan?
Idols made from Plaster of Paris don’t readily dissolve in water, leaving behind solid remnants that can accumulate in rivers, lakes and the sea. But the material itself is only part of the problem. Paints, varnishes and other finishes used on idols can release pollutants, including heavy metals, into the water, affecting water quality and aquatic life.
In cities where idols are immersed directly into the sea, PoP remnants, synthetic dyes, thermocol, plastic decorations and other materials litter shorelines, suffocate fish, and disrupt aquatic habitats.
Jyoti Raghavan Khanduja, founder of Forest Spirit Learning, a nature school in Gurugram says, “Apart from the obvious problem PoP poses, of being a synthetic, non-biodegradable material, it also contains toxic paints and plastic embellishments, all of which combined together sound the death knell on our water bodies and aquatic life. Once it enters the water body, it goes and sits at the bottom and over time, erodes and releases all the harmful chemicals. Aquatic life often mistakes it for food and ingests the chemicals, ending up dead. The weight and amount of these idols also compromise the oxygen content in water, making it harder for aquatic life to survive.”
The numbers underline the scale of the problem: 1.97 lakh Ganesh idols were immersed across Mumbai in 2025, leaving behind 1,982 metric tonnes of PoP remnants collected by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). An estimated 4,500 tonnes of PoP is used for Ganesh idols across Maharashtra every year, with Mumbai accounting for around 675 tonnes, according to the official festival conclusion report compiled by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). For the 2026 Ganeshotsav festival, the BMC has distributed 858 tons of free Shadu Soil to eco-friendly idol makers and sculptors to promote sustainable celebrations.
“Any material, when used in excess, can become a problem - whether it is PoP or even clay, which can contain glue and other additives. I don’t blame the material; we need to develop a better system, technique and process around its use. PoP itself can be recycled, and for very large idols, clay may not always be practical. The answer is not to stop celebrating, but to bring in systemic changes that make the entire process more sustainable,” says Pankti Pandey, ex ISRO scientist and sustainability educator.
Khaduja adds, “We are mistaken if we think immersing clay idols in rivers would be a better option. Clay idols also cause harm as once baked, the clay also turns non-biodegradable and has most of the effects of PoP except maybe for chemical toxicity, in case of non-painted idols. With the increase in population and the scale of festivals becoming bigger, no option remains harmless for our water bodies anymore. The only gentler scenario appears to be the immersion in a tub or a temporary pool built for the purpose.”
The eco-friendly Ganpati guide
Going eco-friendly goes beyond choosing the right material. Hyderabad-based Ritika Chawla, climate educator and zero waste advocate says, “The colours, paints, glitter and finishes used on an idol also matter. If you make it at home, check the colour you would use to paint the idol. Acrylic paints are plastic-based. Opt for natural or organic colours instead. If you use organic colours to paint the Ganesha, then it is truly eco-friendly. Otherwise, it is not.”
Here are the eco-friendly options to choose from
Shadu mati clay: A biodegradable alternative to PoP that can be immersed at home. DIY clay Ganesha kits are available on e-commerce platforms, starting at around ₹280. They also make for a fun, hands-on activity for children, letting them shape and decorate their own Bappa.
Seed Ganesha: Made from natural clay or mud and embedded with seeds, these idols can be dissolved in a pot of soil, allowing the seeds to grow into plants. These can also be bought online.
Atta or maida Ganesha: Simple DIY options made with everyday, biodegradable ingredients. Mix two parts maida with one part haldi and add powdered sugar to make a firm dough. Use spoons to mould the Ganesha, using a little water to join the pieces. Add mustard seeds for the eyes and rice to create a tiny garland.
Paper mâché: This is a lightweight alternative to PoP, provided it is made without synthetic paints, adhesives or finishes. To make your own paper mâché Ganesha, soak 2 cups of shredded paper in 4 cups of water for 4–6 hours, then blend or mash into a pulp and squeeze out excess water. Make a paste with ½ cup maida and 1 cup water, cook until it thickens, cool, then mix enough paste into the pulp to form a firm, mouldable dough. Shape the Ganesha and air-dry completely for 2–3 days before decorating.
