Green message in modaks

Form, function, festivity: The modaks take shape

There is a message in a modak this Ganpati festival beginning tomorrow. That message says simply: go green, Mumbai. Girls from the non-profit Amcha Ghar are making modaks from mud with tulsi seeds embedded inside them called tulsi seed modaks. They come 10 to a box. Take the modak and replant it in a pot at home to grow tulsi saplings. In this way, one can achieve multi-pronged aims. First, it means one is helping Amcha Ghar, an outfit that works in the space for providing shelter and education for the underprivileged girl child. Secondly, one is contributing to the mission of greening Mumbai, even if it means in homes and building compounds. Thirdly, it also means "good for your waist, as you are planting these modaks" laughed supporter and Mission Green founder Subhajit Mukherjee who wants the city to have a green Ganpati celebration.

Festive cause

Mukherjee said, "This is one way to propagate green Mumbai and actually take away the intimidation aspect from phrases like ecological balance or environmental awareness, which overwhelms people at times. An initiative like this says caring for the environment can begin in a simple way. Begin at home or in your immediate surroundings. It is the simplest messages that are the most powerful and effective." Amcha Ghar is a 25-year-old non-profit at Bhayander (Uttan) with a key goal of promoting gender equality through education amongst other aims. It has a shelter home for underprivileged and orphan girls between 6 and 18 years.

Agatha Sushila Anthony Dias, founder, Amcha Ghar

A difference

"We have eco-friendly Ganesh idols which are a huge step in festivities but synonymous with Ganpati is, of course, the modak. This modak is one more aspect of an all-round environmentally friendly celebration", said Savina Pinto, administrator at Amcha Ghar. Pinto added, "We first of course tried to grow the tulsi plant on our own through this modak method and we had several saplings grow. That is when we decided to create boxes for sale." Pinto claimed that they would look at initiatives like these later, where seeds of other plants will be offered to people, adding that the USP of this is that it is cost-effective too, compared to buying regular tulsi plants.

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Mother Nature

For Agatha Sushila Anthony Dias, founder, Amcha Ghar, "This effort also means the girls in the Amcha Ghar orphanage, which I started at my home, form a bond with Mother Nature. We are located close to the sea and always wanted to do something associated with nature. We thought of creating a coconut plantation at first, but, COVID restrictions meant several difficulties and that could not get off the ground. So, then this is the eco-friendly method we zoned in on. Our girls were always fond of gardening, we were growing capsicums, coriander and a few other veggies. They love to work with their hands, feel the freshness of the soil, the smell of earth after rain… all that comes together in these modaks too."

Dias added, "It has been a very beautiful and spiritual exercise for these children, who have been busy in this activity rather than idle at home. We are creating awareness from a young age. I am also going to be encouraging a project where they build a dividing wall with used and discarded plastic bottles," claimed Dias. Amcha Ghar's girls are orphans but by making green ventures a part of their growing up, they have a mother in the form of Mother Nature.

To order a box of eco-friendly modaks, also known as tulsi seed modaks, Call: 8828912941.