Ganesh Chaturthi special: 5 workshops to create your own eco-friendly Ganesha

With just five days to go for Ganesh Chaturthi, you still have some time to create your own Ganpati idol for your home. Using a range of materials like terracotta, shadu clay, even chocolate, artists around the city are taking classes for all age groups, to add that DIY flavour to festivities.

Shruti Manwatkar
Material used: Terracotta
One of the easier materials to mould, terracota is a common choice among artists who make their own idols. Shruti Manwatkar, who will take a workshop on the same, says, "The terracota clay is completely natural and does not leave any toxins once immersed. Once the idol is made, we let it dry. Firing is not done in the kiln, which is what makes it eco-friendly. The clay is natural and does not harm the environment once it's immersed. It dissolves in water," she says. Each idol takes about two hours to make and must be left to dry for two to three days, and then painted, only slightly, with acrylic.
When: August 20, 11 am to 1 pm
Where: 129, Sourabh, Abhinav Nagar, near Abhinav Nagar School, Borivali East
Contact: 9757035917
Entry: Rs 500 for children, Rs 600 for adults

Rintu Rathod
Material used: Chocolate
Rathod has been conducting sessions on making chocolate Ganesha for the past six years. "The visarjan in this case is done in milk, the resultant chocolate milk as prasad is distributed among underprivileged kids," she says.

This year Rathod will conduct private classes for individuals. "It takes seven to eight hours to make a foot-long idol. We use modelling chocolate as material. A foot-long idol requires 10 kilos of chocolate. All colours used are edible and hence fit for consumption,"
When: Till August 24
Where: As per class
Call: 8691958484
Entry: Price on request

Manjusha Bagal
Material used: shadu clay
Shadu is a kind of clay found in river banks in the Konkan region. A six-inch idol using shadu clay typically takes two to three hours to make, says Manjusha Bagal who will conduct this session. This material is also the fastest to dissolve in water. "We use shadu clay because it doesn't need to be baked and therefore, when immersed, does not pollute the water." Also, in this session, participants will be required to make the idols without using moulds.
When: August 22, 11 am to 7 pm
Where: Prerana Pratishthan, Brahman Shikshan Mandal School, Ghantali, Thane West
Entry: Rs 500
Call: 9820684012

Vikesh Jandial
Material used: Shadu clay
An art educator for nine years, Vikesh Jandial says, "Our sessions typically go on till six hours, because we like to make it interactive. The structure of the idol is very important. So, I encourage students to make and remake till the the results are satisfactory." He encourages the use of turmeric and vermillion for slight colour but likes to stick to the original grey of the clay overall.
When: August 20, 10.30 am to 6.30 pm
Where: Shiv Sankalpa, 8, Plot 74, New Seawoods, Nerul
Entry: Rs 1000 for 4-10-year-olds; Rs 1,200 for 11 to 17-year-olds and Rs 1,500 for adults.
Call: 7021366230

Go online: www.mandarmarthethefineart.com has online tutorials on Ganpati idol making. Learn to make an eco-friendly Ganpati in two-sessions, using clay and few simple tools.
Entry: Rs 1,800 per participant.