Over 200 students make their own clay idols

Mysore/Mysuru: A two-day workshop, organised by the city’s Parisara Balaga, commenced yesterday at the premises of Kukkarahalli Lake and Lalitha Mahal Palace grounds. This workshop has been conducted in collaboration with the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).

The aim is to provide training to school students, members of various organisations, and the general public in the art of crafting eco-friendly clay Ganesha idols well in advance of the festival which falls on Sept. 18.

Additionally, the workshop seeks to convey a message to society about the natural advantages of worshipping eco-friendly clay idols as opposed to idols made from Plaster of Paris (PoP) and coated with chemically based paints, which are environmentally hazardous.

The participants, numbering over 200, included more than a hundred children from different city schools. They were divided into three groups and received training over the course of two days.

Over 30 other participants from four different groups also took part. Skilled artists with expertise and experience in making environmental sculptures imparted the technique to create idols out of clay. Those who participated in the workshop were allowed to take home the idol and use it for worship on the day of the festival.

Students from various schools such as JSS High School, Vidya Jyoti School, S.N.S. School and Vishwa Prajna School enthusiastically participated in this workshop, creating diverse Ganapati idols and celebrating their craftsmanship. The clay used for the idols was provided by volunteers from Parisara Balaga.

Several Founding-Members of the Parisara Balaga including Parashuramegowda, Leela Shivakumar, Kusuma Ayarahalli, Gantayya, Suguna, Prabha, Mallamma Ganigi, Venkatesh, Bhagya, Kala, Sathish, Charan, Chethan and Krishnamurthy actively participated in this endeavour.