Customers can pay any amount as none of the idols have price tag attached
Pune: As the trend of buying eco-friendly Ganesh idols is catching up fast, a pathologist based in Pimpri-Chinchwad, is gaining popularity for the variety he has to offer.
Avinash Vaidya has idols made of clay, turmeric powder, kunku (kumkuma), geru (earthy-red powder) and gulal. The unique part about this initiative is that none of the idols have a price tag attached to it! “The customers are free to pay whatever they want,” Vaidya said.
Vaidya said that according to research, factory made Ganpati idols contain harmful chemicals and hence, he is promoting the use of eco-friendly idols. He also aims to start an old age home at Zendamala, Dehugaon-Shree Shankar Maharaj Seva Mandal, Chinchwad Gaon.
He said, “I felt the necessity of starting an old age home to help those who are not offered any assistance. Avinash Zende, the owner of the land at Zendemala, offered us the 3,600 sq ft land with two rooms. It was not sufficient to fit 30 senior citizens,” Vaidya said.
“Only few contributed when we were planning to construct a building. The idea of making eco-friendly Ganesh idols then came to my mind. Every year, we put up a stall at Morya Yatri Nivara, Chinchwad Gaon,” he added.
In their first year, they had only two Ganesh idols, while last year, the number rose to 1,100.
