Making Clay Ganesha for Ganesh Chaturthi (Indian festival)
A Celebration of life
Ganesh Chaturthi also known as Vinayak Chaturthi is the Indian festival celebrating the rebirth of Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed God.
It's a ten-day festival which starts on the fourth day of the lunisolar calendar month, Bhadra, usually falling in August or September. This year its just at the doorstep and due on 13th September, Thursday.
People install idols of Ganesha in their homes or in groups for ten days, and worship everyday, then on the last day the Idol is carried with public processions and celebrations (usually loud music, dancing, and chanting) and immersed in a water body (called Visarjan).
Grand celebrations with full of zeal and joy.
Ganesh or Ganpati is believed to be the god of Prosperity and wisdom. The main sweet dish during the festival is Modak as it is Ganpati’s favorite, it is normally made with rice or wheat flour, and stuffing of coconut, jaggery, and dried fruits.
Source of the pic and the recipe for making Modak
Ganpati Visarjan
The Most common chanting “Ganpati Bappa Moriya” is a treat to the ears and when said everyone can feel the energy.
Earlier the Ganpati idols were created by clay and colored using the natural pigments and not artificial, but slowly the idols were becoming more elaborate and bigger and also using Plaster of Paris (POP) and chemical colors, due to which when the idol is submerged in water it creates pollution.
Clay Modeling - My eco-friendly Ganesha
But from last few years, people are becoming conscious towards the natural environment and opting for eco-friendly ways to make the idol.
I am not a religious person, but someone at work bought a good quality of clay for making the idol from the potter and was left with a good amount. She was more than happy to give me whatever was left with her, so I decided to make an idol for myself too.
I haven't had the chance to learn sculpting before so I was bit excited to use the clay and it was the best timing to create my eco-friendly clay Ganesha.
I didn't have the tools to sculpt, but I still wanted to give it a try. I tried different versions and had an amazing fun time creating them.
There are many easier ways of making one using just circular clay balls, (many tutorials available online) but I wasn't aware of it until I was done making ..but isn't it fun to find your own way out.
I have tried to show the whole process of how I made but missed few steps since my hands very really dirty with clay.
It's the most fun I have had in days.
- Used basic shapes like circles and cylinders to give it a form that resembles Ganpati.
- Attach the different parts.
- Start giving it a proper shape and details using a tool (I used a cutter and toothpick)
- Use water to smoothen the surface.
- Let it dry for a day or two.
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Other variations..
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I didn't want to paint them but later decided to do it anyways, even though the colors are not eco-friendly, but I am not planning to immerse it in water. But to keep it at home.
- Apply colors if required or can leave it just in clay as well - usually, Ganesha or Ganpati is more colorful and with a lot of gold ornaments but when I was a kid I had a Ganpati idol at my home in black colors and so I decided to paint it in black and gold.
- Let it dry for a day.
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I found one article very interesting- for making an eco-friendly Ganesha - Ganapati Idols That Grow Into Plants After Immersion
Check out their blog Here:
https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/eco-friendly-ganesh-chaturthi-ganapati-idols-grow-plants-immersion-11037/
I hope you enjoyed reading my post and I am grateful for every Upvote, Resteem, and Comment. Until next time! 😍
Love. Swati ❤️
Follow me @itravelarts
Actually I love ganpati babba very much and you have rehearsed the old memories today
You are a great Indian woman Swati mam thank you so much for such a Shraddha for Ganapati ji
you should put your post's link on discord and it's gd
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I love these @itravelarts so much!! And I'm glad you decided to paint that one too; it's gorgeous! Thank you for explaining the point behind it all too; it's something I kind of knew about, but not the details!
I'm dropping this post off to c-squared too. So interesting :)
Thank you @lyncoyle1
I am glad as well that I painted it.Did you know about this festival? or the process of clay modeling..I am curious now if you have seen the festival happening, as its celebrated in a grand way.
Thank you for submitting this work to c-squared. Honoured.
Thanks and Love.
I know a bit about the festival and of course Ganesha, but not the details that you provided. I'd love to see the festival in person though!!
You're most welcome too :)
It would be worth a trip, to see something like it, though there are many many festivals in India which are celebrated with same zeal..
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Thank you for telling us about this celebration. And OMG, you are so talented! I would have to watch several tutorials to even start with the sculpture! And you found it out yourself! That's awesome!
Great job Swati!
haha, i am sure anyone can do it with an idea of what they are to make, we are soon having a workshop where kids 7-10 years of age will be making these idols..I am very excited for that. :)
Thank you for your kind words.
Love.Swati
Ow, if kids can do it, I can o it too! LOL
Workshop sounds very exciting! You can maybe document it and tell us more about it :)
My pleasure.. as always :)
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Thank you c-squared
Thank you for the interesting post!