WHAT if your Ganpati idol could return to the earth not as waste, but as a plant? In a city where festival celebrations often leave behind discarded idols and artificial materials, Priyanka of Ganjipura is offering devotees a different way to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. She has created a unique range of eco-friendly Ganpati idols made from pure clay, natural geru and traditional materials, idols that can eventually find a new life as greenery in the very homes where they were worshipped. Originally from Jabalpur but having spent years in Mumbai and Dubai, Priyanka has created a unique range of eco-friendly Ganpati idols made from pure clay, natural geru and other traditional materials. Her idea is simple yet meaningful, an idol that is worshipped with devotion during the festival can eventually become a plant and continue to be a part of the family. Priyanka’s journey to making Ganpati idols began after the COVID-19 pandemic. Before returning to Jabalpur, she worked as a Visual Merchandiser with corporate companies in Dubai and Mumbai. She holds a PostGraduate Diploma in Apparel Production and Merchandising Management from Pune, and had built a professional career in the corporate sector. However, the pandemic prompted her to rethink her priorities. She eventually returned to her native place Jabalpur and began exploring her interest in traditional and natural materials. She started making idols at her ancestral shop, Mirror House, in Ganjipura, turning a family space into the starting point of a new creative journey. For Priyanka, the choice of clay is deliberate. Her idols are made from pure clay and finished with geru, an earthy red colour associated with traditional Indian homes. “The idea is to bring back the traditional connection with clay and natural colours,” Priyanka said while talking to The Hitavada.

 

She recalls the traditional practice of applying geru to the entrances of homes and has incorporated the symbolism into her idols. But what makes her concept particularly distinctive is what happens after the festival.Her eco-friendly Ganpati sets come with a pot, soil, manure and seeds. Instead of becoming waste after immersion, the clay idol can be placed in the pot, allowing devotees to nurture a plant at home. The concept gives a new meaning to visarjan - the idol eventually returns to the earth and becomes part of new life. Priyanka also creates colourful Ganesha idols using natural, claybased colours rather than relying heavily on artificial colours. She believes that keeping the materials natural helps preserve the traditional character and spiritual essence of the idol. Another distinctive creation in her collection is the Panchgavya Ganesha, made using cow dung, cow urine, ghee, curd and milk. These idols are designed for permanent placement in home temples and are traditionally regarded as auspicious. Today, Priyanka is a homemaker, but her creative work has become an important part of her life. She credits her husband, Subhanshu Swamy, a banker and resident of Napier Town, for supporting her endeavour. Her journey, from the corporate world of Mumbai and Dubai to working with clay in a traditional shop in Ganjipura, is also a story of returning to one’s roots. Through her work, Priyanka hopes to encourage families to look beyond artificial materials and rediscover the beauty of natural celebrations. For her, Ganesh Chaturthi is not merely about bringing Bappa home. It is about bringing home faith, preserving tradition and giving nature a place in the celebration. And perhaps that is the most beautiful part of her idea, when the festival ends, Ganpati does not simply disappear. He returns to the soil, and from that soil, something new begins to grow.