Odisha: Eco-friendly idol of Lord Ganesha crafted in solid clay by Bhubaneswar-based miniature artist ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], September 18 : Eco-friendly idols of lord Ganesha along with goddesses Saraswati and Laxmi were crafted in solid clay by a Bhubaneswar-based miniature artist ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in the state.
Bhubaneswar-based miniature artist, L Eswar Rao, who hails from the Jatni village in Khurda district chose a unique way to wish people Ganesh Chaturthi this year and crafted the eco-friendly idols of the deities.
Speaking to ANI, Rao said, "For the last 22 years, I have been creating miniature art on penile nib, chalk, turmeric seed, inside the bottle and many more. I have crafted eco-friendly idols of lord Ganesha along with goddess Saraswati and Laxmi ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, which is a famous festival of Odisha's Jatni village in Khurda district."
"I have also created a pandal using matchsticks and solid clay, where I installed idols of lord Ganesha and goddess Saraswati and Laxmi in his left and right respectively. It took me seven days to complete idols and decorative pandal," Rao said.
"The height of the Ganesha idol is 3.5 inches, whereas idols of goddess Saraswati and Laxmi are about 3 inches. Along with it, the pandal is 9 inches tall from bottom to top," Rao added.
Rao further said, "I will pray to lord Ganesha for his blessing and healthy life for every Indian on Ganesh Chaturthi."
Earlier in the day, Gowd Saraswat Brahaman (GSB) Seva Mandal, ahead of Ganesh Chathurthi, installed an idol of Lord Ganesh adorned with 69 kg of gold and 336 kg of silver in Mumbai.
Students from Tamil Nadu's Puducherry dedicated four months to meticulously designing a towering 15-foot-tall Ganesha idol ahead of the festival.
The impressive 15-foot-tall idol of Lord Ganesh is an environmentally conscious creation and was constructed entirely from 450 kilograms of paper to stands as a testament to their commitment to preserving marine life.
The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which falls in the Bhadrapada month of the Hindu calendar, marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha, son of Shiva and Parvati.
Also known as Vinayak Chaturthi or Ganeshotsav, the festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay idols privately in homes and publicly on elaborate pandals (temporary stage).
The 10-day festival ends when the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or sea, called visarjan on the day of Anant Chaturdashi.
The festival celebrates Ganesha as the God of New Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence.
This year the Ganesh Chaturthi festival will begin on September 19 and will continue for ten days until September 29.