Nerul resident’s cow-dung Ganpati idols a hit with locals

Thirty-five-year-old Nilesh Tupe from Nerul has been promoting the use of Ganesh idols made of cow dung for the past six years.

Thirty-five-year-old Nilesh Tupe from Nerul has been promoting the use of Ganesh idols made of cow dung for the past six years.

HT Image

Tupe on Saturday said he has already received 8,000 orders — from India and abroad — for the idols, which dissolve within 11 minutes of their immersing.

An auditor by profession, Tupe, who is also an MBA graduate, has done extensive research into eco-friendly methods of celebrating Indian festivals.

He said the cow-dung idols are marketable as many people find the material to be holy.

“It takes a week to complete one cow-dung Ganpati idol. Last year, the idols were made exclusively from cow dung but people complained that they were very light and did not sink into the water; so I mixed them with shadu (clay) this time around,” he said.

Tupe said he sources the cow dung from farmers who breed indigenous cows. The Ganesh idols are made with a 70:30 ratio of cow dung and clay.

This year, production took a hit owing to the heavy monsoon and flood-like situations, giving Tupe very little time to assemble enough idols for Ganeshotsav.

Since humid weather does not aid the drying of the idols, Tupe said most of them are made in Pune and sent to Mumbai.

“On popular demand, I have added a lot of colour to many of the idols,” said Tupe.

The price of the idols ranges between ₹800 to ₹4,000, depending on the size.

Satish Lad, 34, a Nerul resident said, “I brought cow-dung Ganpatis last year and I am very happy with it. This year I have ordered for bigger idols.”

“I immerse the idol at home and water the plants with it. This way they get nutrients and the Ganpati symbolically remains at home,” said Namita Gohokar, 31, a Kharghar resident.

Those interested in buying cow-dung Ganpati idols can contact Tupe at 9930088813.