Making Clay Ganesha - Eco Friendly Ganesha

!!!! Happy Ganesha Chaturthi !!!!

Here is the picture of the Clay Ganesha Making Procedure. It's nice to make our own Ganesha with our hands and also to teach our children how to do it. It's fun with clay. This exercise also helps in learning about clay—its properties and how to play with it.

Every year I obtain the country clay from the potter and make Ganesha. I learned it from one of my neighbours in my hometown. They in fact used to prepare the soft wet clay with black/red soil. Mixing sawdust and cotton, and kneading the mixture for hours, is necessary to achieve the soft texture. The process would take at least a week. This process involves many procedures and requires patience as well. However, I do get soft wet clay readily available from Potter's bunk and make Ganesha.

The pictures below are of Ganesha being made. Anirudh and I have made two Ganeshas and two Mushika Vahanas together. I engaged Anirudh in making clay Ganesha when he was just 5 years old. I don't use artificial colours or so; instead, I use pulses and grams to decorate. So, when Ganesha is given a final send-off by dropping him in a well (no more wells available in the vicinity) or lake, the water is not contaminated or polluted, and pulses and grams can be eaten by fish.

The clay can be used for kitchen garden plants. It's good to know about the awareness created by government agencies, NGOs, and other organizations about Clay of Ganesha and the distribution of free clay to school children.